Abstract 5535: Research team perspectives on engaging Black patients with cancer in biospecimen research
Authors: Carpenter Aaron , Morris Hayley N. , Opoku Annabella , Hilton Alison , Carda-Auten Jessica , Teal Randall , Barreiro-Rosado Jeenn A. , Matthews Lauren , Akeke Oluwatumilara , Collins Ashley Rankin , Charlot Marjory 
Published: April 2023

Background: Representation of Black individuals with cancer in biospecimen research remains disproportionately low compared to white counterparts. Clinicians and research staff are responsible for informing, inviting, and consenting patients to participate in such research. We sought to understand clinician and research staff perspectives on engaging Black patients in biospecimen research.

Methods: We conducted 10 in-depth interviews with purposively sampled clinicians and research staff at a large academic cancer center in North Carolina between January and August 2022. Participants underwent semi-structured interviews (duration 45-60 minutes) and were asked open ended questions about biospecimen research barriers in general, barriers specific to people who identify as Black or African American, and considerations when discussing biospecimen research with Black patients. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Perceived patient related barriers to biospecimen donation included pain from sample collection, invasive sample collection, lack of to time or transportation, medical research mistrust, health literacy, and limited knowledge of opportunities for involvement. Many felt that these barriers were faced by both Black and non-Black patients. However, some felt for Black patients, these barriers existed within the context of historical injustices in medicine, current bias in health care and socioeconomic inequities, while others felt socioeconomic status not race was more of a concern. Clinician and research staff identified barriers to discussing biospecimen research included lack of time given busy clinical practice and concern with patients’ physical and emotional state. Patients’ race was not considered a barrier. When asked about considerations for discussing biospecimen research specifically with Black patients, participants felt time to establish rapport and trust, readiness to discuss historical injustices in biomedical research, reminding participants research is voluntary, and having in person discussions were important. Few felt that patient race was not relevant to these discussions.

Conclusion: Some clinicians and research staff acknowledge that historical injustices and current racial bias in biomedical research and health care contribute to low representation of Black individuals in biospecimen research, while others did not. Further research is needed to assess whether race and/or racism agnostic approaches versus acknowledgement of structural racism’s influence on biomedical research and health care have an impact on fair representation of Black individuals in biospecimen research.

Sponsored by the Lung Cancer Research Foundation Research Grant on Disparities in Lung Cancer

Citation Format: Aaron Carpenter, Hayley N. Morris, Annabella Opoku, Alison Hilton, Jessica Carda-Auten, Randall Teal, Jeenn A. Barreiro-Rosado, Lauren Matthews, Oluwatumilara Akeke, Ashley Rankin Collins, Marjory Charlot. Research team perspectives on engaging Black patients with cancer in biospecimen research. [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 5535.