Examining Health Literacy in Biorepository Consents

Previous research has shown that most parents would allow their child's leftover blood to be included in a de-identified biorepository using opt-out consent in an outpatient setting. In a pilot study to evaluate Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) parents' preferences and comprehension of a written opt-in consent to include their child's sample in a biorepository, the investigators showed 19% of parents did not agree to participate in the Biobank, more than the 8.7% reported in other settings. Parent comprehension varied. and the investigators also noted differential enrollment by sociodemographic factors. Critically ill children and their parents are vulnerable; seeking consent for non-therapeutic research in critical care requires special consideration. Therefore, the goal of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of a stakeholder influenced (parent, clinical research professionals) video aided consent will improve comprehension and rates of enrollment across diverse groups in this high intensity setting.