Healthy volunteer profile: Levels of anxiety, depression, socioeconomic aspects and candidates' motivations of participation in phase I clinical trials

Introduction: Healthy volunteers participate in phase I clinical trials mainly in search of an economic compensation; their economic instability may constitute a vulnerability factor for anxiety/depression. Objectives: To select suitable and rapid screening tests for anxiety and depression in healthy volunteers, to know their socioeconomic situation and to identify the main reason for their participation. Methods: Cross-sectional study, under a nonparametric statistical analysis and ROC curve analysis. Goldberg's Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS) (fast test) and the Beck Depression (BDI-II) and Anxiety (BAI) Inventories (standard tests) were applied to all participants. Results: One hundred and thirty-nine potential candidates were recruited; the average age was 32 years (SD = 8.8); 53.9% were students, 43.9% employers and 2.2% were unemployed; 85.6% had university studies, 13.7% secondary education and .7% primary studies. GADS, BDI-II and BAI results were: 24.5% volunteered with anxiety and 15.8% with depression (GADS); anxiety levels (BAI): 60.4% had null, 25.9% mild, 11.5% moderate and 2.2% severe; depression (BDI-II): 87.8% had null, 5.8% mild, 5.8% moderate and .7% severe. Socioeconomic characteristics: 48.2% low stratum, 43.2% medium, 5.7% medium high and 2.8% high. Motivations: 46.1% for economic compensation, 35.9% contribution to science, 14.4% for curiosity and 3.6% access to health. Conclusions: GADS shows insufficient capacity to discriminate between anxiety/depression and the use of BAI and BDI-II is suggested; anxiety and depression levels were higher in healthy volunteers than the prevalence in the general population but lower when compared to university population; employment status was mostly composed of university students with low socioeconomic characteristics and a high economic motivation. (C) 2020 Sociedad Espanola para el Estudio de la Ansiedad y el Estres - SEAS. Published by Elsevier Espafia, S.L.U. All rights reserved.