Acceptability and Feasibility of Using Educational Incentives for Research Participation to Advance Antiracism

Abstract

Nominal cash and gift card incentives provided to research participants have immediate financial benefits but make no lasting improvements to participants’ lives or social inequities they might experience. Our study examined the acceptability of offering a nonmonetary educational incentive as an added option to research participants as a potential to advance antiracism and address social inequities. Community members (n = 128) completed a quantitative survey; nine of whom also participated in a qualitative interview. Focus group discussions occurred with 11 researchers. Survey data were analyzed to obtain descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using an iterative process guided by template analysis. Survey participants’ mean age was 45 years; 39% were white and 30% were Hispanic/Latinx; 80% were male; 39% had completed some college; 45% had a degree; and 71% reported previous paid participation in a research or community program. Of this group, 80% preferred cash or gift card incentives; 16% preferred an educational incentive; and 88% were likely to extremely likely to use educational incentives. Qualitative data indicated that educational incentives were acceptable but should not replace cash incentives; successful implementation would require organizational support. Noncash educational incentives may be acceptable to research participants and researchers and would help address social inequities. Successful implementation would require further research.