HOW DOES KNOWLEDGE OF THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS STUDY AND BELIEFS IN HIV CONSPIRACY THEORIES AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICAN'S PERCEPTION OF MEDICAL RESEARCH?

OBJECTIVES: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study and HIV conspiracy beliefs have continuing effects on perceptions of medical research in the African American community. This study was designed to explore how knowledge and beliefs concerning the Tuskegee Study and HIV impact African Americans' willingness to partake in medical research, how research incentives may influence that willingness and what level of importance they believe medical research has in their lives.METHODS: Responses to medical research questionnaires were assessed for 100 participants. Outcome measures included accuracy of Tuskegee study knowledge, likelihood of participation in research based on incentives, level of importance of research and enrollment into a recruitment database. Data concerning knowledge and beliefs of the Tuskegee Study and HIV, likelihood of participation and level of importance were analyzed via two-way correlation tables and chi-square analysis. RESULTS: Analysis revealed a relatively high level of inaccuracy of Tuskegee study knowledge and HIV. Influences of these topics in relation to willingness to participate in research and overall perceptions of medical research were minimal. However, there were associations indicating that individuals with moderate or greater knowledge of the Tuskegee Study were less likely to participate in research if free medical care was offered when compared to individuals who knew little or nothing regarding the study. CONCLUSIONS: In order to improve the likelihood of minority participation, the medical research community should tailor their recruitment efforts to take into account common beliefs in the African American community concerning medical research.PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE: The data have implications related to the ability to garner trust between the African American and medical research communities, with the ultimate goal to improve likelihood of minority participation in medical research. With a significant degree of misconceptions concerning both the Tuskegee Study and HIV being prevalent in the community, it is vital to take into account these beliefs in order to more effectively recruit African Americans. Outwardly dismissing these beliefs could result in further distrust between the scientific and African American community