Using Gift Cards to Accelerate Alzheimer's Clinical Research Enrollment

A recent study conducted by the University of Southern California has demonstrated that offering modest gift cards can significantly enhance participation of low-income individuals in Alzheimer’s disease clinical research. Published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, the research highlighted the potential of financial incentives to improve representation in trials aimed at understanding and combating Alzheimer’s disease.

The study targeted an over-50 population without a dementia diagnosis, inviting them via email and text message to join the Alzheimer Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy. This initiative is designed to expedite clinical trials by identifying and monitoring individuals at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. The participants were primarily enrolled through a county health system serving Medicaid recipients.

Participants were divided into three groups: the first received a simple invitation to enroll, the second was offered a $25 Amazon gift card as a reward, and the third had a chance to win a $2,500 Amazon gift card through a lottery with 1-in-100 odds.

Results revealed that the small gift card incentive boosted enrollment by approximately 40% compared to the message-only control group. Notably, responses were strongest among white males and Medicaid enrollees. Interestingly, offering the chance to win a larger prize did not lead to increased participation.

Despite the higher enrollment, the study concluded that a straightforward, low-cost message approach remains the most cost-effective strategy. The findings suggest that investing resources in outreach efforts to underserved communities may be more beneficial in achieving diverse trial participation. The research was led by Prof. Mireille Jacobson and Dr. Doris Molina-Henry, and was conducted through the Alzheimer's Trial Recruitment Innovation Lab, a collaborative effort to diversify research participation.

This study provides valuable insights into ethical and practical methods for improving recruitment in Alzheimer’s research, ultimately supporting the goal of more inclusive and representative clinical trials.