Partially randomized preference trials in carceral health research: a methodology to advance equity and inclusion
Justin Berk, Mike Gordon, Margaret A Handley, Helen E Jack · 2026
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Description
Justin Berk and colleagues argue in 2026 for trial designs that let prisoners choose their treatment arm when they feel strongly. People in custody carry heavy illness burdens yet stay shut out of most clinical research. Fears about pressure and limited freedom, plus deep mistrust of medical systems, make classic random assignment hard to run fairly.
In a partially randomized preference trial, people with a strong preference take their chosen option. People without a strong view are randomized as usual, so cause and effect can still be estimated. The design also measures how much preference itself shapes results, and it may lift sign-up and completion rates. Similar gains could help other groups whose freedom to choose is limited.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Justin Berk, Mike Gordon, Margaret A Handley, Helen E Jack |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 23 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |