Changes in Health Knowledge and Lifestyles After Participating in a Research Study

Advancements in health care would not have been possible without clinical research and more importantly those participants who volunteered. In order to continue this path of improvement, it is important to tackle issues of problematic recruitment and encourage more individuals to consider participating. Benefits associated with clinical research are a major driving force behind an individual’s decision to participate. This study examined a different type of benefit, one that is not in the primary aim of the study. By highlighting such benefits, the public’s perceptions of clinical research can be broadened, encouraging more individuals to consider participating. To assess these benefits, a one-time survey was completed by a parent/legal guardian of a child who participated in one of two previous research studies. The survey included questions from the initial studies to serve for comparison purposes. Results demonstrated that since completing the study a total of 34 (55.7%) parents/legal guardians reported a change in the child’s diet, while 43 (70.5%) reported a change in the child’s physical activities. When comparing responses (pre vs post), parents/legal guardians at the time of the follow- up study were more likely to make their child eat healthy and exercise regularly as well as describe their child as not being overweight. Lastly, a total of 42 (84%) of parents/legal guardians reported that they would be likely to participate in future studies as well as let their child participate in future studies.