Participant Recruitment of African American College Students at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU): Challenges and Strategies for Health-Related Research

Lack of research participation among African Americans is problematic for population relevant health disparity research. The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe challenges and strategies in recruitment of African American college students for health related research being conducted at a small Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Upon completion of a recruitment and retention literature review, study investigators constructed and tested a culturally-specific, direct-appeal protocol to recruit participants. Major barriers to recruitment of African American college students included discrete sources of distrust, lack of understanding of the research process, and logistical concerns. Implementation of a culturally-specific, direct appeal protocol led to a significant improvement in recruitment and retention of student participants. It is imperative that researchers demystify scientific investigation as a first step towards building trust between themselves and target populations, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups. Reasons for distrust, a need for trust and trust building strategies are offered here

An Expectancy-Value Approach to Determinants of Trust

An Expectancy-Value model was used to test various attributes of trustworthiness, as determinants of people’s trust in 5 Swedish organizations (public and commercial). Trust was conceptualized as an attitude, dependent on respondents’ beliefs about and evaluations of the organization with respect to these attributes. A survey was sent out to a sample representative of the Swedish population (response rate: 55.5%; N = 347). It was found that the Expectancy-Value Model was powerful in explaining trust in 3 organizations. However, it was also found that a model including only values as predictors of trust was more powerful in explaining trust in 2 organizations: the Swedish Government and advertising firms. The phenomenon of double denial (Sjöberg & Montgomery, 1999) was very strong, which could be an important explanation of these findings. It is discussed whether double denial could be caused by trust ratings based on ideologies (e.g., political or general anti-business) subscribed to and emotional reactions, rather than analytical evaluations of an organization.trust; attitude; organizations; expectancy-value

Using Noninvasive Brain Measurement to Explore the Psychological Effects of Computer Malfunctions on Users during Human-Computer Interactions

In today’s technologically driven world, there is a need to better understand the ways that common computer malfunctions affect computer users. These malfunctions may have measurable influences on computer user’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses. An experiment was conducted where participants conducted a series of web search tasks while wearing functional nearinfrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and galvanic skin response sensors. Two computer malfunctions were introduced during the sessions which had the potential to influence correlates of user trust and suspicion. Surveys were given after each session to measure user’s perceived emotional state, cognitive load, and perceived trust. Results suggest that fNIRS can be used to measure the different cognitive and emotional responses associated with computer malfunctions. These cognitive and emotional changes were correlated with users’ self-report levels of suspicion and trust, and they in turn suggest future work that further explores the capability of fNIRS for the measurement of user experience during human-computer interactions

African American Adults’ Experiences with the Health Care System: In Their Own Words

African Americans suffer a disproportionate burden of death and illness from a number of different chronic diseases. Inequalities in health care practices and poor patient and provider communication between African American patients and health care professionals contribute to these disparities. We describe findings from focus groups with 79 urban African Americans in which the participants discussed their interactions with the healthcare system as well as beliefs and opinions of the healthcare system and professionals. Analysis revealed five major themes: (1) historical and contextual foundations; (2) interpersonal experiences with physicians and other health care workers; (3) discrimination; (4) trust, opinions and attitudes, and (5) improving health care experiences. These findings indicate that perceptions of discrimination and racism were prevalent among African Americans in this study, and that the expectation of a negative interaction is a barrier to seeking care. Authors discuss prevention and public health implications of these findings and make recommendations for health care practitioners

Governing Sustainable Food and Farming Production Futures using Integrated Risk Assessment Approaches

Nanofoods, 'functional foods' and biopharming are three production futures that are strongly developing despite being characterised by significant gaps in knowledge and understanding, and a peculiar scarcity of proactive processes with which to seize opportunities and minimise and manage potential risks and public concerns which could negatively impact on the industry. In order to better assess benefits and risks and to build public trust, the paper suggests the establishment of an integrated health/food and environmental risk assessment regime that also incorporates and is responsive to the ethical concerns, socio-economic realities and local demands of various stakeholders – right from the beginning of a development. In order to have a global as well as a national practical effect, the assessment regime needs to conform to national and accepted international regulations and observe fundamental principles in bioethics and public sector ethics, such as integrity, access, autonomy and choice. Such a pro-active approach might lead to improved collaborations, to constructive communication channels and to enriched and more mutually acceptable futures

Trust in scientists on climate change and vaccines

On climate change and other topics, conservatives have taken positions at odds with a strong scientific consensus. Claims that this indicates a broad conservative distrust of science have been countered by assertions that while conservatives might oppose the scientific consensus on climate change or evolution, liberals oppose scientists on some other domains such as vaccines. Evidence for disproportionately liberal bias against science on vaccines has been largely anecdotal, however. Here, we test this proposition of opposite biases using 2014 survey data from Oregon and New Hampshire. Across vaccine as well as climate change questions on each of these two surveys, we find that Democrats are most likely to say they trust scientists for information, and Tea Party supporters are least likely, contradicting the proposition of opposite bias. Moreover, partisan divisions tend to widen with education. Theoretical explanations that have been offered for liberal trust or conservative distrust of science in other specific domains such as climate change or environmental protection fit less well with these results on vaccines. Given the much different content of climate change and vaccine issues, the common political pattern appears more consistent with hypotheses of broader ideological divisions on acceptance of science

Foregrounding Morality: Encouraging Parental Media Literacy Intervention Using the TARES Test for Ethical Persuasion

In the United States, children are exposed to literally hundreds of thousands of television commercials a year and virtually every aspect of kids’ lives are replete with commercial messages. The negative effects of this exposure are well documented. Yet, there remains very little regulation or limit on advertising to children beyond that which exists for adults. Additionally, only about 1/3 of U.S. parents wish for stronger controls. This presents a challenge for media literacy scholars and practitioners. Research has shown that, when presented with information about the negative effects of commercial messages, parents are more likely to adopt some form of media literacy intervention. In this study, we test to see if framing the concept of advertising to children as being unethical (using the TARES test) will increase parents’ willingness to engage in medial literacy intervention techniques. Results show that when advertising to children is framed as being unethical, parents indicated more of a willingness to engage in concept-oriented communication as a media literacy intervention than when the negative effects of advertising is presented without framing it from an ethical perspective

Trust and Betrayal in the Medical Marketplace

The author argues in this Comment that disingenuity as first resort is an unwise approach to the conflict between our ex ante and our later, illness-endangered selves. Not only does rationing by tacit deceit raise a host of moral problems, it will not work, over the long haul, because markets reward deceit\u27s unmasking. The honesty about clinical limit-setting that some bioethicists urge may not be fully within our reach. But more candor is possible than we now achieve, and the more conscious we are about decisions to impose limits, the more inclined we will be to accept them without experiencing betrayal