NCT07220837

Online Learning Module to Advance Research Related to People With Disabilities

Randomized Control Trial (RCT) of Online Learning Module to Advance Research Related to People With Disabilities (D2/R3)

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Albert Einstein College of Medicine · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Conditions

• Developmental Disability
• Intellectual Disability
• Disability

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	eLearning module	* Baseline pre-survey (15 minutes) * Baseline learning module (30 minutes) * Baseline post-survey (10 minutes) * Follow-up survey (3-4 weeks later) Components of KAP survey: Demographics-research experience/role, disability status, exposure to PWDs, etc. (baseline pre-survey only; e.g. not asked at post follow-up survey) Knowledge-short-answer, clinical scenarios, items focused on historical/legislative context, etc. Attitudes-validated "Attitudes to Disability Scale" (ADS) developed by a World Health Organization (WHO) working group Perceptions-questions developed by Prosci's Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement (ADKAR) framework.
OTHER	Control	Disability Statistics Training (University of New Hampshire Link). Modules identify disability data sources via US surveys and measurement hurdles in disability research: A) Module 2/Topic 1 (13m:44s): Operationalization of Disability in Surveys- covers the two common operationalization methods, the 6 Question Sequence (6QS) and the Washington Group Short Set (WGSS), and the challenges of collecting disability data B) Module 3/Topic 1 (13m:48s): Disablement Models- conceptually defines models, such as Nagi's Disablement Model, Work Disability, Verbrugge and Jette, and WHO's Definition.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-16
• Primary completion: 2026-08-01
• Completion: 2026-08-01
• First posted: 2025-10-24
• Last updated: 2026-04-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States