Veterans contributing to health research for better healthcare.

Decoding Veteran Participation: How to Make Health Research More Engaging

Mira Elwood in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 3 min read.

"Unlock insights into how research design and communication can encourage Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to participate in health studies, enhancing veteran healthcare and outcomes."

Recruiting participants for health research can be tough, especially when dealing with specific groups like veterans. Low participation rates can mess with the results, making studies less accurate and more expensive. Military personnel, with their unique backgrounds and values, might respond differently to research requests than civilians.

A recent study published in BMC Medical Research Methodology dives into this issue, focusing on US veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The goal? To figure out what motivates these veterans to participate in health research, which could then inform how future studies are designed and promoted.

Using focus groups across the United States, the researchers explored veterans' attitudes toward health studies. The findings offer practical tips for researchers aiming to engage this important population, ultimately helping to improve veteran healthcare through better research.

The Veteran's Perspective: Key Motivators & Deal-breakers

Veterans contributing to health research for better healthcare.

The study pinpointed several factors that influence a veteran's decision to join a health study. These aren't just nice-to-haves; they're essential for building trust and ensuring veterans feel valued and respected throughout the process:

What Makes Veterans Say 'Yes':

Adequate Compensation: Recognizing the value of their time and contribution.
Desire to Help Other Veterans: A strong sense of duty and camaraderie.
Significance and Relevance of the Research: Understanding the impact and importance of the study.

Transparency is Key: Vague language or unclear study aims create distrust. Veterans want to know exactly what the study is about and why it matters. Open, honest communication builds confidence and encourages participation.

Making Research Veteran-Friendly: Practical Takeaways

This research highlights that OEF/OIF veterans value trust, transparent communication, and respect when considering participation in health-related research. Researchers can use these insights to:

<ul> <li>Clearly Communicate Study Goals: Explain the study's purpose and how it will benefit veterans.</li> <li>Offer Fair Compensation: Acknowledge the time and effort veterans contribute.</li> <li>Build Trust Through Transparency: Provide detailed information about the study's procedures and data security measures.</li> <li>Share Study Results: Keep participants informed about the findings and their potential impact.</li> </ul>

By adopting these strategies, researchers can create more veteran-friendly studies, leading to higher participation rates, more accurate results, and ultimately, better healthcare for those who have served.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1186/s12874-018-0546-2, Alternate LINK

Title: How Can We Get Iraq- And Afghanistan-Deployed Us Veterans To Participate In Health-Related Research? Findings From A National Focus Group Study

Subject: Health Informatics

Journal: BMC Medical Research Methodology

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Alyson J. Littman, Gala True, Emily Ashmore, Tracy Wellens, Nicholas L. Smith

Published: 2018-08-29

Everything You Need To Know

What are the primary reasons veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom participate in health research?

According to the research, veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) are more likely to participate if they are offered adequate compensation for their time, because it acknowledges the value of their contribution. These veterans also want to help other veterans by participating in health studies. They also want to see the significance and relevance of the research, they want to understand the impact and importance of the study.

Why is transparency so important when recruiting veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom for health studies?

Transparency is vital for recruiting veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) into health studies. Vague or unclear language can breed distrust. This demographic wants clarity on the study's purpose and its importance. Researchers should use open, honest communication to build confidence.

How can low participation rates from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans affect the validity and cost of health research?

Low participation rates from veterans in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) can significantly skew study results, making them less accurate. The research suggests that this also drives up the costs of the research, and it may lead to less effective healthcare strategies for veterans. By understanding the motivators and barriers, studies can improve their designs to engage more veterans, ensuring more reliable and relevant findings.

What are some practical steps researchers can take to make health research more appealing to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom?

Researchers can improve veteran participation by focusing on building trust and enhancing communication. Practical steps include being transparent about the study's aims and potential impact, offering fair compensation for their time, and clearly explaining how the research will benefit veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Making research veteran-friendly also means respecting their unique experiences and values.

Why did the study focus specifically on veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and what are the implications of this focus?

The study specifically focused on veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This focus allows researchers to gain specific insights into the attitudes and motivations of this particular group, which can then be applied to design more effective and respectful research protocols tailored to their needs. Understanding that different veteran cohorts may have distinct experiences and perspectives is key to improving participation across the board.