According to a recent study led by Rutgers Health, Asian Americans, particularly South and East Asian older adults, exhibit a higher degree of hesitancy in participating in health research that involves MRI brain scans compared to their white counterparts. The findings, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, highlight the need for culturally sensitive approaches to encourage participation and improve representation in health studies.

The study surveyed older adults on their perceptions of MRI scans, willingness to learn scan results, and attitudes towards research participation and dementia. Researchers found that South Asian and East Asian older adults showed less interest than white older adults in learning about MRI scan findings and participating in research that is not directly beneficial to them.

Lead author of the study, Karthik Kota, an assistant professor of medicine and a geriatrician at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, emphasized the importance of addressing hesitancy towards participation to improve representation of a group that typically does not engage in research studies. Kota also mentioned that understanding concerns older Asian adults have about MRI brain findings could allow for more culturally appropriate return of scan results.

The study's findings are crucial considering that Asian Americans represent the fastest-growing racial group in the United States and the fastest-growing group of adults over the age of 65. As age is the biggest risk factor for dementia, this group is particularly at higher risk. In a prior pilot study, Rutgers Health researchers had encountered unexpected hesitancy from these groups in relation to MRI scans.

In the latest study, 256 respondents answered questions about the type of MRI results they would like to learn, including receiving serious findings without treatment options or benign ones common with aging. Additionally, participants were asked about their attitudes towards research participation and brain health. The researchers found a similarly low desire to learn MRI results in South Asian and East Asian individuals, despite differing levels of support for research participation and concerns about future dementia or stroke.

The study underscores the need to separate different Asian American subgroups when conducting health-related research. By understanding and addressing the concerns of these specific subgroups, researchers can enhance research diversity and improve recruitment strategies.

The research was supported by various initiatives, including the Resource Center for Alzheimer's and Dementia Research in Asian and Pacific Americans at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research. Coauthors of the study include researchers from the Department of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Center for Healthy Aging at the Institute for Health, along with other contributing researchers from the South Asian Total Health Initiative and the RWJBarnabas Health Chinese Medical Program.

As the study sheds light on the hesitancy of Asian Americans towards participating in health research involving MRIs, addressing these concerns could lead to more inclusive research outcomes and a better understanding of health issues affecting diverse populations.