Online Learning Module to Advance Research Related to People With Disabilities (D2/R3)

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Disability; Developmental Disability; Intellectual Disability

Treatments: Other: eLearning module; Other: Control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT07220837

2025-17152

1UM1TR004400 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will measure the effects of a brief one-time eLearning intervention on researcher Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions (KAP) of including people with disabilities (PWDs) in biomedical & behavioral research. Researchers will be recruited from across the Einstein/Montefiore network, and other medical centers with a focus on CTSAs.

Full description

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. has a disability, approximately 29% of the overall population. Adults with (vs. without) disabilities have higher rates of obesity (41.6% v. 29.6%), smoking (21.9% v. 10.9%), heart disease (9.6% v. 3.4%), and diabetes (15.9% v. 7.6%), and lower rates of preventive care (e.g., mammograms, cervical cancer screening).

Disability may present as salient to others or be non-visible (e.g., autism, Long COVID). Non-visible disabilities comprise 70-80% of all disabilities; robust data finds stronger negative attitudes towards non-visible (vs. visible) disabilities.

People with Disabilities (PWDs) are under-represented in health research. Reasons include: a) structural elements of research: poorly justified exclusion criteria, PWDs not designated as a vulnerable group, b) access barriers: physical, sensory, literacy; and c) PWDs skepticism due to researcher bias, lack of perceived benefit, focus on cure vs. quality of life. Data on provider attitudes towards people with disabilities (PWDs) is scant.

KAP of barriers and benefits are modifiable roadblocks to including PWDs in research. The research team will develop and test tools to increase researcher motivation and capacity to mitigate perceived barriers. For Aims 1 and 2 of D2/R3, the research team engaged the 10 US sites (Einstein is one) that are Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) for basic/clinical research and University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs).

Timeliness - This study is timely and novel as the perception of disability in research settings has shifted in recent years. Made apparent by the NIHs designation of PWDs as a health disparities population and changes to the Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDCs) (i.e., disability research is now included on the list).

This registration is exclusive to Aim 3 of the D2/R3 study.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged >=18
• Conducts non-disability focused research (in the past 3 years)
• Conducts (primarily) research with/on adults
• Agree to complete the 1-hour baseline session in one sitting

Exclusion criteria

• Participant in Aim1/Aim2 of D2/R3 study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

eLearning module

Experimental group

Description:

Participants (n=100) will view one interactive 30-minute module aimed at increasing KAP of including PWDs in research.

Treatment:

Other: eLearning module

Control

Other group

Description:

Participants (n=100) will view two 15-min modules (total\~30 mins) one focusing on disability data sources and the other on the medical/social model of disability. Participants will retake the KAP survey again immediately after completing the 2 modules.

Treatment:

Other: Control