Background Precision medicine research depends upon recruiting large and diverse participant cohorts to provide genetic, environmental, and lifestyle data. How prospective participants react to information about this research, including depictions of uncertainty, is not well understood. Purpose The current study examined public responses to precision medicine research, focusing on reactions toward (a) uncertainty about the scientific impact of sharing data for research, and (b) uncertainty about the privacy, security, or intended uses of participant data. Methods U.S. adults (N = 674; 51.9% male; 50% non-Hispanic white; Mage = 42.23) participated in an online experimental survey. Participants read a manipulated news article about precision medicine research that conveyed either certainty or uncertainty of each type (scientific, data). Participants then rated their attitudes toward the research, trust in the researchers, and willingness to join a cohort. We tested direct and mediated paths between message condition and outcomes and examined individual characteristics as moderators. Results Overall attitudes were positive and a majority of participants (65%) reported being somewhat or very likely to participate in precision medicine research if invited. Conveying uncertainty of either type had no overall main effect on outcomes. Instead, those who reported perceiving greater uncertainty had lower attitudes, trust, and willingness to join, while those with more tolerance for uncertainty, support for science, and scientific understanding responded favorably to the scientific uncertainty disclosure. Conclusions Findings suggest responses to precision medicine research uncertainty are nuanced and that successful cohort enrollment may be well-supported by a transparent approach to communicating with prospective participants.

中文翻译：

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传播不确定性对公众对精准医学研究的反应的影响

背景 精准医学研究依赖于招募大量多样化的参与者群体来提供遗传、环境和生活方式数据。潜在参与者如何对有关这项研究的信息做出反应，包括对不确定性的描述，尚不清楚。目的 本研究考察了公众对精准医学研究的反应，重点关注以下方面的反应：(a) 共享研究数据的科学影响的不确定性，以及 (b) 参与者数据的隐私、安全或预期用途的不确定性。方法 美国成年人（N = 674；51.9% 男性；50% 非西班牙裔白人；Mage = 42.23）参加了一项在线实验调查。参与者阅读了一篇关于精准医学研究的操纵新闻文章，该文章传达了每种类型（科学、数据）的确定性或不确定性。然后，参与者评估他们对研究的态度、对研究人员的信任以及加入队列的意愿。我们测试了消息条件和结果之间的直接和中介路径，并检查了作为主持人的个人特征。结果 总体态度是积极的，大多数参与者 (65%) 报告说，如果被邀请，他们在一定程度上或非常有可能参与精准医学研究。传达这两种类型的不确定性对结果没有总体主要影响。相反，那些报告感知到更大不确定性的人态度、信任和加入意愿较低，而那些对不确定性有更多容忍度、支持科学和科学理解的人对科学不确定性披露做出了积极的反应。