Empowering Veterans in Research Effectively Using Virtual Engagement Tools

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Veterans. Clinical trials are essential for developing better treatments, but Veterans remain underrepresented in these studies due to barriers including limited health literacy, lack of awareness, and mistrust. Current outreach approaches rely on either in-person physician conversations, which are limited by workforce constraints, or mailed letter invitations, which often fail to engage Veterans with limited health literacy. This study tests whether AI-generated video avatars can improve Veteran engagement in cardiovascular clinical trials.

Inclusion Criteria (Aim 2): * Age 65 years or older * CHA2DS2-VASc Score of 3 or greater * Veteran receiving care within the VA Health Care System * Eligible to receive a mailed invitation through the parent VA Cooperative Studies cardiovascular trial recruitment process Exclusion Criteria (Aim 2): * Any exclusion criterion applied by the parent VA Cooperative Studies cardiovascular trial * Documented preference to opt out of VA research mailings Inclusion Criteria (Aim 1 Qualitative Interviews): * Age 18 years or older * Veteran receiving care at VAPAHCS * Recently invited (within 3 months) to participate in an existing cardiovascular clinical trial at VAPAHCS * Able to provide informed consent in English Exclusion Criteria (Aim 1 Qualitative Interviews): * Cognitive impairment documented in the electronic health record * Inability to communicate in English at a level sufficient for qualitative interview participation Inclusion Criteria (Aim 1 Beta-Testing and Aim 3): * Age 18 years or older * Veteran receiving care at VAPAHCS or a participating VA-CTC site * Able to view a brief video and complete a short survey in English Exclusion Criteria (Aim 1 Beta-Testing and Aim 3): \- Inability to communicate in English at a level sufficient for survey completion Inclusion Criteria (Focus Groups): * VA study coordinator or trial investigator actively engaged in cardiovascular clinical trial recruitment at VAPAHCS or a VA-CTC site * Willing to participate in a 60-90 minute virtual focus group