Attitudes of elderly people about clinical research on aging.

This study determined the factors influencing participation of elderly people in research. It involved subjects who signed consent for a study and those who refused consent. Consenters had significantly more positive feelings about being used as a subject; giving urine; giving blood; having a physical examination; being interviewed; taking an IQ test; answering questions; being a subject to help others; finding out about problems and as a way to pass time; and telling an interviewer the truth. Reasons given for partaking in research were the personality of the interviewer, interest in the project, and benefits to subject or others.