Journal
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
Volume 68, Issue 2, Pages 182-190Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.04.009
Keywords
Patient education as topic; Information dissemination; Communication; Review literature as topic; Consumer satisfaction; Comprehension
Funding
- Opportunities Fund of the Cochrane Collaboration [0F020711]
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Objectives: To evaluate a new format of a summary, which presents research from synthesized evidence to patients and the public. Study Design and Setting: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in 143 members of the public from five countries (Canada, Norway, Spain, Argentina, and Italy). Participants received either a new summary format (a plain language summary [PLS]) or the current format used in Cochrane systematic reviews. The new PLS presents information about the condition and intervention, a narrative summary of results, and a table of results with absolute numbers for effects of the intervention and quality of the evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Results: With the new PLS, more participants understood the benefits and harms and quality of evidence (53% vs. 18%, P < 0.001); more answered each of the five questions correctly (P < 0.001 for four questions); and they answered more questions correctly, median 3 (interquartile range [IQR]: 1-4) vs. 1 (IQR: 0-1), P < 0.001). Better understanding was independent of education level. More participants found information in the new PLS reliable, easy to find, easy to understand, and presented in a way that helped make decisions. Overall, participants preferred the new PLS. Conclusion: This new PL,S format for patients and the public is a promising tool to translate evidence from synthesized research. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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