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Clinical trials are pivotal for advancing medical innovation, yet their efficacy is often hindered by low patient participation and retention. Here we explore the concept of "patient activation," which empowers individuals to take an active role in their healthcare decisions.
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When patients consider joining clinical trials, we often assume their decisions are logical, balancing risks and benefits. In reality, emotions like fear, hope, trust, and personal history play a greater role. Here we explore the two key systems of thought often combined in making health decisions, the intuitive/emotional System, and rational/analytical System.
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The most common barrier to clinical trial participation isn’t eligibility, it’s fear. Explore strategies for building trust, enabling patients to feel supported and safe by normalizing fear, using clear and simple language, and sharing other participants' stories.
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Social proof plays a critical role in how patients decide whether to join a study. When patients hear testimonials from people like them, see participation statistics from their clinic, or hear that their doctor’s other patients are enrolled, trials feel safer, more familiar, and more trustworthy.
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Explore the critical role of health literacy, which includes the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information to make informed decisions. Trials designed with health literacy in mind empower patients to make confident, informed choices, ensuring not just better data, but more equitable and humane research experiences.
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The decision to participate in a clinical trial can be a psychologically and emotionally complex process. Traditional approaches assume that providing more information leads to better decisions, but clinical trials should be designed with the heart in mind as well, aiming to help patients feel safe and supported.
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