Considerations and costs of disclosing study findings to research participants

Estimating the costs of dissemination will be relatively straightforward for many studies but will be more challenging when it is necessary to quantify the differences in cost due to intrinsic risk, consequences and time elements. Researchers and granting agencies should consider the offer to return results to research participants as a mandatory part of practice and adjust budgets and duration of funding accordingly. If the disclosure is expected to be associated with harm, and if that harm can be minimized through direct disclosure, men direct disclosure ought to be offered. It is essential to determine the wants and needs of participants with respect to how best to offer and disseminate research results, and we are currently exploring these questions.