Matthews Micayla, Lotfi Tamara, Santesso Nancy, Loeb Mark, Mertz Dominik, Chagla Zain, Hajizadeh Anisa, Piggott Thomas, Dietl Bart, Schünemann Holger J
McMaster University Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote Cochrane Canada and GRADE Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022 Oct 14;2(10):e0001166. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001166. eCollection 2022.
Best practices for the dissemination of global health guidelines has not undergone rigorous research. We used a new approach to digitizing World Health Organization (WHO) global tuberculosis guideline recommendations (eTB RecMap) and compared its usability to the conventional method of accessing TB recommendations using the WHO website. We conducted a two-arm superiority randomised controlled trial using a survey among global stakeholders who were past or planned future users of TB guidelines, recommendations, or policy advice. We assigned participants randomly (1:1) to complete an activity using the WHO eTB RecMap or the conventional website. The primary outcome was the accessibility of information and secondary outcomes understanding, satisfaction, and preference for one of the two formats. Between February 26 and August 29, 2021, we received 478 responses from stakeholders, of whom 244 (122 per group) were eligible and provided analysable results. Participants rated the eTB RecMap as more accessible, on average, when compared to the conventional website (on a seven-point scale, the mean difference {MD} was 0.9; 95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.6, 1.2; p < 0.001) and were more likely to correctly answer understanding questions. This is the first trial comparing digitized dissemination formats of health guideline recommendations. Stakeholders rated the WHO eTB RecMap as more accessible than the conventional WHO website for the tested recommendations. They also understood presented information better. The findings support better usability of TB information through the eTB RecMap and contribute to the effort to end the TB epidemic. Trial registration: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04745897) on February 9, 2021.
全球卫生指南传播的最佳实践尚未经过严格研究。我们采用了一种新方法将世界卫生组织（WHO）的全球结核病指南建议进行数字化处理（电子结核病推荐图谱，eTB RecMap），并将其可用性与通过WHO网站获取结核病推荐的传统方法进行比较。我们进行了一项双臂优效性随机对照试验，对全球范围内过去或计划未来使用结核病指南、推荐或政策建议的利益相关者进行调查。我们将参与者随机（1:1）分配，使其使用WHO的eTB RecMap或传统网站完成一项活动。主要结果是信息的可获取性，次要结果是对两种格式之一的理解、满意度和偏好。在2021年2月26日至8月29日期间，我们收到了478名利益相关者的回复，其中244人（每组122人）符合条件并提供了可分析的结果。与传统网站相比，参与者对eTB RecMap的可获取性评价更高（在七点量表上，平均差异{MD}为0.9；95%置信区间{CI}：0.6，1.2；p<0.001），并且更有可能正确回答理解问题。这是第一项比较卫生指南推荐数字化传播形式的试验。对于所测试的推荐，利益相关者认为WHO的eTB RecMap比传统的WHO网站更容易获取。他们对所呈现信息的理解也更好。这些发现支持了通过eTB RecMap能更好地使用结核病信息，并有助于为终结结核病流行做出努力。试验注册号：本试验于2021年2月9日在ClinicalTrials.gov注册（NCT04745897）。
