inVentiv Clinical Trial Recruitment Solutions (iCTRS), in collaboration with the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), has released results of research showing public perceptions of clinical trials have improved—good news for companies hoping to recruit for a trial.

According to the CISCRP study, the percentage of people who learn of clinical research from family members is almost three times higher in Latin America than in North America. And patients in the Asia-Pacific region are less than half as likely as patients in North America to continue participating in a clinical research study because they feel obligated to do so.

Jim Kremidas, senior vice president of patient recruitment at iCTRS and a member of the CISCRP board of advisors, said a better understanding of the patient and caregiver perspective can improve patient recruitment and retention in trials. "The basis for successfully engaging patients is understanding them," he said. "Through conducting behavioral research, we can gain insights into people's decision-making processes, motivational drivers and influencers—all of which inform the success of a study's outreach strategy and communication plan." By relying on behavioral data to guide message development, sponsors and CROs can engage prospective participants by using the most effective language, content, creative angle and channels.

The CISCRP 2013 Perceptions and Insights Study gathered responses from nearly 6,000 patients and the public worldwide. The results are published in five reports, available for download from CISCRP, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and informing the public, patients, medical/research communities, the media and policymakers about clinical research and the role each party plays in the process.