(1494) Financial Compensation Preferences for Participation in Pediatric Critical Illness Research

Introduction: Financial compensation to individuals for research participation has been shown to improve recruitment and retention. However, little guidance exists regarding the optimal amount of compensation for participation in follow-up research after discharge from pediatric critical illness hospitalization. We aimed to determine preferences of financial compensation amounts among caregivers considering research participation of their child with sepsis.

Methods: We surveyed caregivers of children treated for sepsis in the PICU at the University of Michigan or Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware between August 2023 and May 2024. Data was collected about the caregivers’ and children’s ages and whether they previously participated in research. Caregivers were presented with a hypothetical scenario that required them to return to the hospital with their child two times after discharge to collect blood samples, in addition to an in-hospital sample. Caregivers selected preferred compensation amounts per return visit with options of $0, $25, $50, $75, $100, alternate amounts, or non-participation. We compared compensation preferences by prior research participation using Fisher’s exact test.

Results: 46 caregivers completed the survey. 46% of caregivers (n=21) had previously participated in research. 26% of caregivers would not participate in the research scenario regardless of compensation, 22% would participate without any compensation, and 52% would participate with some compensation. Among caregivers who would participate with compensation, preferred compensation amounts were $25 (19.6%; n=9), $50 (8.7%; n=4), $75 (4.4%; n=2), and $100 (17.4%; n=8). There was no difference in incentive preferences by prior research participation (p = 0.75).

Conclusions: Three-quarters of surveyed caregivers of children with sepsis would participate in a study which required blood collection and return to the hospital with no differences among those with versus without prior research participation. One in five caregivers would participate without monetary incentive, while nearly one in five would expect a $100 compensation per visit. Given this variation in participation expectations, higher incentives may therefore help mitigate biases in study enrollment.