Ashok & Rita Patel Institute of Physiotherapy, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Anand, Gujarat, India
Ashok & Rita Patel Institute of Physiotherapy, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Anand, Gujarat, India.
BMJ Evid Based Med. 2024 Mar 21;29(2):96-103. doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2023-112433.
This study aimed to investigate whether the format and type of conclusion in Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) influence readers' perception of treatment benefit and decision-making.
An online parallel group, three-arm randomised controlled trial was conducted.
The study was conducted online.
The participants were physiotherapy students.
The participants read two Cochrane PLSs, one with a positive conclusion (strong evidence of benefit) and another with a negative conclusion (strong evidence of non-benefit). Each participant read the results of both reviews presented in one of three formats: (1) numerical, (2) textual or (3) numerical and textual.
The primary outcome measure was the participants' perception of treatment benefit.
All three groups of participants perceived the treatment to have positive effects when the Cochrane PLS had a positive conclusion, regardless of the format of presentation (mean perception of treatment benefit score: textual 7.7 (SD 2.3), numerical 7.9 (SD 1.8), numerical and textual 7.7 (SD 1.7), p=0.362). However, when the Cochrane PLS had a negative conclusion, all three groups of participants failed to perceive a negative effect (mean perception of treatment benefit score: textual 5.5 (SD 3.3), numerical 5.6 (SD 2.7), numerical and textual 5.9 (SD 2.8), p=0.019).
The format of Cochrane PLSs does not appear to significantly impact physiotherapy students' perception of treatment benefit, understanding of evidence, persuasiveness or confidence in their decision. However, participants' perception of treatment benefit does not align with the conclusion when the Cochrane PLS indicates strong evidence of non-benefit from the intervention.
CTRI/2022/10/046476.
本研究旨在探讨 Cochrane 通俗易懂摘要（PLS）的结论形式和类型是否会影响读者对治疗效果的感知和决策。
一项在线平行组、三臂随机对照试验。
研究在线进行。
物理治疗专业学生。
参与者阅读了两篇 Cochrane PLS，一篇结论为阳性（有获益的有力证据），另一篇结论为阴性（无获益的有力证据）。每位参与者以三种形式之一阅读了两种综述的结果：（1）数字形式，（2）文字形式，或（3）数字和文字形式。
主要结局指标为参与者对治疗效果的感知。
当 Cochrane PLS 得出阳性结论时，所有三组参与者都认为治疗有积极效果，无论呈现形式如何（治疗效果感知的平均得分：文字形式 7.7（SD 2.3），数字形式 7.9（SD 1.8），数字和文字形式 7.7（SD 1.7），p=0.362）。然而，当 Cochrane PLS 得出阴性结论时，三组参与者都未能感知到负面效果（治疗效果感知的平均得分：文字形式 5.5（SD 3.3），数字形式 5.6（SD 2.7），数字和文字形式 5.9（SD 2.8），p=0.019）。
Cochrane PLS 的格式似乎不会显著影响物理治疗专业学生对治疗效果的感知、对证据的理解、说服力或对决策的信心。然而，当 Cochrane PLS 表明干预措施有明确的非获益证据时，参与者对治疗效果的感知与结论并不一致。
CTRI/2022/10/046476。
