The Effect of Racial Concordance on Patient Trust in Online Videos about Prostate Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Importance: Black men have a higher risk of prostate cancer compared with White men, but Black adults are underrepresented in online content about prostate cancer. Across racial groups, the internet is a popular source of health information; Black adults are more likely to trust online health information, yet have more medical mistrust than White adults. Objective: To evaluate the association between racial representation in online content about prostate cancer and trust in the content and identify factors that influence trust. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized clinical trial was conducted from August 18, 2021, to January 7, 2022, consisting of a 1-time online survey. Participants included US men and women aged 40 years and older. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to June 2023. Interventions: Participants were randomized to watch the same video script about either prostate cancer screening or clinical trials presented by 1 of 4 speakers: a Black physician, a Black patient, a White physician, or a White patient, followed by a questionnaire. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a published scale for trust in the information. χ2 tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to compare trust according to the video's speaker and topic. Results: Among 2904 participants, 1801 (62%) were men, and the median (IQR) age was 59 (47-69) years. Among 1703 Black adults, a greater proportion had high trust in videos with Black speakers vs White speakers (72.7% vs 64.3%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.62; 95% CI, 1.28-2.05; P