Author: Julia Kopanz, Bart Lagerwaard, PhD, and Mira Zuidgeest, PhD on January 28, 2025 
Decentralised clinical trial (DCT) approaches move all or part of a trial’s activities to the participant’s direct environment by using digital technologies and other operational innovations. Working with people living with type 2 diabetes from three European countries, we uncovered “What motivates people with type 2 diabetes mellitus to participate in clinical trials from home?” through focus group discussions.
Clinical trials cannot be conducted without participants; however, very little is known about participant’s interest in participating in trials with different types of innovations. It is important to understand what the motivating factors for participation in trials are, so that they can be addressed in the design of future trials. Potential participants could have the possibility to participate in trials that are more tailored to their own needs, with trials that are, for example, more patient-centric and less burdensome. Subsequently, this may also facilitate recruitment and improve retention, which has implications for researchers in trial conduct. Ultimately, these trial improvements could speed up the evidence generation for new interventions and positively influence clinical practice.
In our paper, which is the first scientific publication on this topic, we identified seven main themes regarding participation in clinical trials: location, time investment, contact with healthcare professionals (HCP), digital technologies, data collection, perceived risk, and motivation. Focus group participants mentioned the flexibility in location of trial activities and the time spent on the trial as important drivers in their decision to take part in DCT approaches. Other drivers, such as digital infrastructure, digital literacy, home visits, personal interaction, and relationship with HCPs, were identified as either enablers for participation or as barriers, being strongly dependent on personal preferences.

The comment feature is locked by administrator.