Study findings implicate the impact of knowledge, perceptions, and beliefs on the willingness of African American men and women to participate in health-related genetics research (Table 3). Participants with higher levels of knowledge about genetics and heritable diseases; with understanding of the benefits, risks, and utility of genetic testing; and who had previous involvement in a health-related research study were more likely to report a willingness to engage in health-related genetic research than study participants with lesser knowledge about genetics, those with lesser knowledge, and those who had not previously been involved in a health-related research study. Participants reporting higher levels of trust in their provider's knowledge and judgment and participants reporting that their providers “listened well” to their concerns about their health and well-being were more likely to report a willingness to engage in health-related research than those who did not. In addition, as might be expected, participants reporting that they had been informed and offered the opportunity to participate in a study were more likely to express a willingness to engage in a health-related research study than those who were not.
