Involve the people around the participant
Caregivers and other family members are critical in clinical trials – supporting around 1 in 3 participants, in our research. However, those taking part with a caregiver are less likely to complete their trial:
Completion rates for those with and without a caregiver
Participants with a caregiver
Participants without a caregiver
Top 3 drivers of withdrawals for those with a caregiver
Financial burden
Burden of tests and assessments
Lack of contact with study team
But there are opportunities too – previous trial participants and site staff both frequently report support for caregivers as an opportunity to improve participant experiences.
What site teams can do:
Treat caregivers as equal partners in trial conversations, giving them open avenues to input, share feedback, and ask questions, and acknowledging the value of their perspectives. Where appropriate, keep them updated alongside the participant, with targeted visit reminders and other communications. Even something as simple as offering a tour of the study clinic can help them appreciate how well their loved one is being looked after.
