Awareness and use of evidence-based medicine information among patients in Croatia: a nation-wide cross-sectional study

Efficacy of reminders for increasing volunteer engagement in translating Cochrane plain language summaries: a pilot randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to pilot test the effectiveness of reminders versus no intervention for increasing the number of translated Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) among volunteer translators.

STUDY DESIGN

Parallel-group randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Cochrane Croatia translation project.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults who volunteered to translate Cochrane PLSs within the Cochrane Croatia translation project.

INTERVENTION

The participants were randomly allocated to intervention (receiving up to four bi-weekly email reminders to translate PLSs) or control group (no intervention).

PRIMARY OUTCOME

The number of translated PLSs within the 6-month trial period.

RESULTS

We included 80 participants. The median number of translated PLSs after 6 months was 9 in the intervention group (95% CI 2.0 to 15.0) and 4 in the control group (95% CI 2.9 to 7.0), but this was not significantly different (p=0.181, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no difference between the groups in the number of translations after 3 months, the average time-to-translation after 3 or 6 months, or the satisfaction at the end of the study period. The number of reminders received and the number of translated summaries were negatively correlated (r=-0.50; 95% CI -0.70 to -0.22).

CONCLUSIONS

Our pilot trial showed that reminders do not seem to be significantly effective in increasing the number of PLS translations. Future studies could explore whether different frequency, timing and content of reminders have an influence on an increase in the engagement among volunteer translators of evidence synthesis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03534791.

Evaluation of doctors’ assessment of healthy lifestyle: cross-sectional study

The aim. To study the factors of doctors’ assessment of their lifestyle as a healthy one, as well as their readiness to take practical measures for health maintenance. Materials and methods. 167 doctors representing all macro regions of Ukraine were interviewed: the levels of awareness of myths about NCDs, locus of control and readiness to take practical measures aimed at health maintenance were determined. The main acting forces were determined by factor analysis. Cluster analysis was performed on the basis of the obtained factors using hierarchical (Ward’s method) and non-hierarchical (k-means method) clustering methods. Results. The following concepts were assessed: Myths about NCDs (11 factors, 3 elements, 4 clusters), locus of control (12 factors, 3 elements, 4 clusters), factors influencing health behavior (12 factors, 3 elements, 4 clusters), readiness to take practical measures aimed at health maintenance (22 factors, 4 elements, 2 clusters). Factors that positively and negatively affect a person's assessment of the lifestyle as a healthy one were identified. Conclusions. The selected subgroups (clusters) of respondents are a simple and effective method of building a better understanding of the target audience of campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles, which after proper clarification, verification and development of a reliable measurement tool can be used to create targeted messages for each population group after a proper clarification and verification

Comparison of blogshots with plain language summaries of Cochrane systematic reviews: a qualitative study and randomized trial

Background

Cochrane, an organization dedicated to the production and dissemination of high-quality evidence on health, endeavors to reach consumers by developing appropriate summary formats of its systematic reviews. However, the optimal type of presentation of evidence to consumers is still unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate consumer preferences for different summary formats of Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs), using both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Methods

Initially, we conducted three focus groups with medical students (n = 7), doctors (n = 4), and patients (n = 9) in 2017 to explore their health information search habits and preferences for CSR summary formats. Based on those findings, we conducted a randomized trial with medical students at the University of Split School of Medicine, Croatia, and with patients from three Dalmatian family practices to determine whether they prefer CSR blogshots (n = 115) or CSR plain language summaries (PLSs; n = 123).

Results

Participants in the focus groups favored brief and explicit CSR summary formats with fewer numbers. Although we found no difference in participants’ preferences for a specific summary format in the overall sample, subgroup analysis showed that patients preferred blogshots over PLSs in comparison to medical students (P = 0.003, eta squared effect size η² = 0.04).

Conclusion

CSR summaries should be produced in a format that meets the expectations and needs of consumers. Use of blogshots as a summary format could enhance the dissemination of CSRs among patients.

Trial registration

The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03542201. Registered on May 31st 2018.

Framing the numerical findings of Cochrane plain language summaries: two randomized controlled trials

Background

Cochrane systematic review Plain language Summaries (CSR PLSs should serve as a tool for the evidence translation to non-medical population. However, the evidence of optimal type of numerical presentation in CSR PLSs is still scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate readers’ comprehension and preferences for different presentation of findings, including framing and numerical data, in Cochrane systematic review Plain Language Summaries (CSR PLSs).

Methods

We conducted a parallel randomized trial and a crossover randomized trial at the School of Medicine and family practice offices in Split, Croatia. The participants were students and consumers. We assessed possible differences in comprehension, measured by four questions on PLS content, of CSR PLSs depending on the positive or negative framing of results (n = 91) (Trial 1) or using percentages or frequencies for the presentation of results (n = 245) (Trial 2). The outcome measures were comprehension of PLS content, perceived effectiveness of the treatment and readiness to use the treatment (all on 1–10 scales).

Results

In Trial 1 we found no difference in readers’ perception of the effectiveness of the described treatment, desire that the treatment be offered by their family doctor, readiness to use the treatment, or comprehension when CSR PLS results were presented positively or negatively. In Trial 2 we found no difference in CSR PLS comprehension when results were presented as natural frequencies or percentages (BF₁₀ = 0.62, Bayesian t-test for independent samples).

Conclusions

Numerical presentation and framing direction of results appear to have no significant impact on understanding of messages in CSR PLSs.

Trial registration

The trials were registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. Protocol registration numbers: Trial 1: NCT03442387; Trial 2: NCT03554252.