Online Learning Module to Advance Research Related to People With Disabilities

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Developmental Disability; Disability; Intellectual Disability

• Registration Number: NCT07220837
• Lead Sponsor: Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2025-09-18
• Status Verified: 2025-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-10-23
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-10-23
• Study First Posted: 2025-10-24
• Last Update Posted: 2025-10-24
• Study Start: 2025-11-01
• Primary Completion: 2026-02
• Study Completion: 2026-02-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 200

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.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Attitudes Towards Disability Scale	Pre-intervention at baseline and 3-4 weeks post intervention	16 item scale - Attitudes to disability scale (ADS). Scoring range on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1-5, yielding an overall possible scoring range of 16-80. Participants for whom a single item is inapplicable (i.e., N/A) will have data removed for that item. Lower scores indicate less favorable attitudes towards people with disabilities, while higher scores indicate more favorable attitudes.; \*Note: Questions 1-6 \& 11-16 are reverse coded.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Knowledge Scores	Pre-intervention at baseline and 3-4 weeks post intervention	10 item scale - Changes in Knowledge scores from baseline. Scoring range: 0%-100%, whereby the percentage correct indicates comprehension towards factual items and best practices for engaging people with disabilities. Questions 4, 8, and 10 can be scored for partial credit. Percentage correct scores will be summarized by study arm.
Change in Perception Scores	Pre-intervention at baseline, and 3-4 weeks post intervention	18 item scale - Change in Perception scores from baseline. Scores are based on 5 domains (i.e. Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement). Scoring range for each domain includes: Awareness (1-5), Desire (2-10), Knowledge (2-20), Ability (2-20), Reinforcement (6-30). An overall composite score of 13-85 for all 5 of these domains. Participants for whom a single item is inapplicable (i.e., N/A) will have data removed for that item. Higher scores indicate greater Awareness of, desire to, Knowledge about, Ability to, and Reinforcements regarding inclusion of people with disabilities in research.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Albert Einstein College of Medicine; 🇺🇸 The Bronx, New York, United States