Purpose: Women are poorly recruited (relative to disease prevalence) in cardiovascular management trials. This is hypothesised to be due to caregiving responsibilities, travel difficulty, distrust of clinicians, and differing risk perception. We aimed to understand patient factors influencing willingness to participate in AAA trials. Methodology: People undergoing small AAA surveillance in two NZ regions were invited to a mixed-methods study via telephone interview. Participants completed validated questionnaires and additional questions on quality of life, carer stress, distrust in doctors, practical barriers to participation, and their willingness to participate in multiple hypothetical trial scenarios. Ethical approval was obtained. Analysis was in SPSS29. Results: Between 2023-2025, 49 patients (29 women; 36 Pākehā, 12 Māori) agreed to participate. AAA size (mean±SD) was 39±10mm. Quality of life (SF-36) was similar across all domains for women and men (P=ns). Women were not more often carers (10% vs 5%, P=ns), and carer stress was rated equally 13.7±6.9, vs 12.9±5.8 for men (P=ns). Distrust was similar (P=ns). Women were less likely to drive to hospital appointments (37.9% vs 75%, P<0.05), but rated similar difficulty attending appointments (mean±SD) 3.4±1.4, vs 3.6±1.4 for men (P=ns). Travel distance to hospital was similar, median (IQR) 8.3km (6.3-27.4), vs 22.6km (10.8-54.8) for men (P=ns). Both sexes showed moderate willingness to participate in hypothetical research scenarios, 3.5±0.8, vs 3.7±0.9 for men (P=ns). Willingness to participate in research dropped with increasing age (P=0.025). Conclusion: Despite historical under-recruitment, women expressed similar willingness to men to be randomised into hypothetical trials; poor recruitment of women may be due to non-patient factors. Further research is needed to understand women’s under-recruitment and ensure equitable future cardiovascular research.