Abstract 5520: Research Ready graphic-style story to support future research participation among adolescents

Abstract Historically, marginalized adults are more likely to be mistrustful of health research worrying both about its invasiveness and their own safety. As a result, many decline to participate. Adolescents have a much lower perception of risk compared to adults and are also susceptible to peer pressure and socialized trust or mistrust from their parents and family members, which can influence risk perception. As encouraging equitable participation in research becomes an important tool in the fight against cancer disparities, We Engage 4 Health created a graphic-style story “Research Ready” to help community members learn the 3 P’s: the purpose of cancer research, how they are kept safe while participating, and why people from diverse backgrounds are needed to participate. An accompanying Research Review Activity was also included to further support participants’ decision-making regarding research participation. Two groups of diverse adolescents were asked to read the story aloud together in small groups and then discuss an active research study targeting adolescents using the review activity with a scientist to consider whether the first the teen story character (Vito) and ultimately themselves, should consider participation in the study and to identify what information was needed from study staff to better be able to make a decision based on their values and accurate information provided by study staff. Group 1 included 45 adolescents that were 68% African American and 10% European American. Group 2 included 73 high schoolers that were 78% Asian, 15% European American, and 5% African American. Post-discussion surveys indicated that only 9% and 3% in group 1 and group 2 respectively had previously participated in health research. However, after the story discussion, 83% and 89% indicated they thought it would be safe to participate in research and 76% and 89% indicated a willingness to participate in research in the future. Finally, 60% collectively enjoyed the story’s graphic-style format. These data suggest Research Ready to be potentially useful in promoting future research participation and may be especially useful in engaging ethnic/racial groups commonly underrepresented in cancer research. Citation Format: Lauren Bates, Susan Gertz, Susan Hershberger, Melinda Butsch Kovacic, We Engage 4 Health Community-Academic Partnership. Research Ready graphic-style story to support future research participation among adolescents. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5520.