Recruiting overweight or obese patients with direct-to-patient and caregiver targeting, screening, and engagement support
Patient Recruitment for Obesity Clinical Trials: Understanding Patient Perspectives
Obesity impacts over 650 million adults globally and 42.4% of adults in the United States alone, and the importance of clinical research in tackling this condition cannot be overstated. Currently, there are 136 obesity trials either underway or in the pipeline, each offering unique insights and potential breakthrough treatments. From empowering lifestyle adjustments to transformative bariatric surgeries, and innovative pharmacological and behavioral interventions, the spectrum of potential solutions is vast and promising.
Recruiting diverse participants for obesity clinical trials is notably challenging, mainly due to cultural and ethnic stigmas and the prevailing misconception about obesity's status as a treatable medical condition.
Obesity affects millions globally and exploring the complex profile of individuals affected by obesity unveils the various factors shaping their health and lifestyle. The prevalence of obesity varies both by age and gender. There are slight differences between men and women, and it does increase by age -particularly among middle age and older adults. Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to experience obesity, largely because they have less access to nutritious foods and fewer opportunities for physical activity.
Obesity tends to run in families which suggests a strong genetic component. It is also strongly associated with other health conditions: hypertension, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Obese individuals often tend to lead a more sedentary lifestyle with minimal physical activity. Additionally, they are more likely to consume calorie/energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and under-consume heart-healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Obesity frequently correlates with psychological challenges like depression, low self-esteem, and dissatisfaction with one's body, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits and additional weight gain.
Exposure to an environment that promotes obesity, marked by easy access to calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods, pervasive food marketing, and oversized portions.
The physical discomfort, increased risk of chronic and mental health conditions, and body image worries often drive individuals to seek diagnosis and treatment for obesity. Prior to consulting a healthcare provider, many may attempt various diets or exercise routines, or seek support from community groups to address their challenges. Additionally, they may explore provider-recommended approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or surgical interventions.
If an individual does take a traditional, medicine-based approach to managing obesity and related symptoms, their normal path would begin with their primary care physician, and could include other practitioners like a Nutritionist, Endocrinologist, Cardiologist, Psychologist, or Obesity Specialist.
Clinical research is a potential treatment pathway for individuals with obesity, and the options are diverse and dependent on a variety of factors such as BMI, age, and accompanying health conditions. Clinical trials open access to new treatment options, which can be of interest to those who haven’t had success with current therapies on the market or lifestyle modifications. With clinical research, people also have more access to close monitoring and care, as well as the potential for financial incentive. Of particular interest could be the potential to treat multiple conditions that are driven by or impacted by obesity.
Identifying potential participants for Obesity clinical trials can be difficult, but using Direct-to-Patient Advertising as a recruitment method proves highly effective within this population.
Obesity, weight loss, and fat loss have been searched, on average, 218,000 times per month for the last year. More and more potential patients, including adolescents and adults, are turning to online resources and influencers for information and education regarding their diagnosed or suspected conditions. In the context of obesity, this trend serves to help individuals grasp the importance of clinical research in advancing treatment options and improving health outcomes.
With that activity, an online profile begins to evolve, and by using sophisticated targeting and screening algorithms, Sponsors can put information about clinical research directly in front of people who are already seeking information outside of the traditional physician-led approach.
AutoCruitment has completed over 700 studies, including those in Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiovascular, and Binge Eating.
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AutoCruitment helps life sciences companies accelerate patient recruitment.
AutoCruitment’s technology-backed, full service, global, direct to patient digital advertising approach targets, recruits, and screens more of the right patients quickly to eliminate the patient recruitment bottleneck. The full clinical trial recruitment and enrollment process is seamless with AutoCruitment’s dedicated Project Management and Site & Patient Engagement teams, transparent, real-time reporting, and a secure user-friendly Patient Management Portal.
AutoCruitment’s patient recruitment platform supports Sponsors, CRO Partners and Research Sites by decreasing time, risk and cost to bring new therapies to market.
