The University of Minnesota’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) conducted a survey to better understand how adults in Minnesota and surrounding communities view health research.
Nearly 2,000 people shared their opinions on health research through the Help Us, Help U Survey. While people from across the country participated in the survey, the majority of responses were collected during the 2024 Minnesota State Fair. The survey was conducted inside the University of Minnesota’s State Fair Research Facility (formerly the Driven to Discover Research Facility), which has connected University researchers with Minnesotans since 2014.
"There was no better place to begin this effort than the Minnesota State Fair, a lively and busy gathering that brings together nearly two million people each year. With more than 50,000 of those fairgoers stopping by the State Fair Research Facility, we had a unique opportunity to connect directly with the public," says Allison Weyer, MS, CTSI’s participant recruitment and engagement specialist who led the survey at the State Fair.
“There was so much interest and engagement inside the building, with people walking from booth to booth,” says Joanne Billings, MD, MPH, principal investigator on the Help Us, Help U study. “It was inspirational to be there and see the amount of interest and engagement in our study and research overall at the University.”
Responses indicate importance of helping others
“One of the most surprising findings from the Help Us, Help U Survey was how willing people were to take part in health research, with 95% of participants stating they were somewhat or very willing to participate,” says Megan Hoffman, MA, CTSI’s program director of Research Training and Participant Engagement. “We also learned that 49% of people had never been asked to participate in research before. This shows that many people are open to contributing to research when given the opportunity, suggesting that barriers to participation may be more about awareness or accessibility rather than lack of interest.”
Through the survey, the research team aimed to learn about awareness of research opportunities, what motivates or discourages participation, willingness to participate in studies, and overall perspectives on health research. In order to enhance research awareness and reduce barriers to participation for all Minnesotans, they gathered information on location, age, income and background.
“We also learned that before deciding to join a study, people want to understand the risks and benefits, the purpose of the study, and any medical procedures involved. Many participants said their main motivation in joining a research study is to help others and contribute to discoveries that could benefit future generations,” says Hoffman.
The survey results also showed that people prefer to hear about health research opportunities through research websites, their doctors or nurses, or by email. Social media, mailed letters, and community events were also popular ways to learn about opportunities.
According to Weyer, the results will help CTSI guide research teams in strengthening community engagement, recruitment and retention strategies, and make health research more accessible and relevant to the communities it serves.
The team will return to this year’s State Fair to invite fairgoers to complete a brief survey about how they prefer health research results to be shared with the public through the StudyFinder tool. Their feedback will help CTSI better understand what information is most valuable and how it can be effectively presented. These insights will inform future enhancements to StudyFinder and support clearer, more accessible, and community-informed ways of sharing research findings with the public.
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