Framing of Numerical Information in Cochrane Summaries

Framing of Numerical Information in Cochrane Summaries: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of the study was to conduct three different parallel randomized controlled trials to assess how the different framing of Cochrane summary information (positive vs negative framing of health information) affects affect the perception of the efficacy and intention for use of the described treatment.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Health Literacy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Frame of numerical information

Detailed Description

The aim of the study was to conduct three different parallel randomized controlled trials to assess how the different framing of Cochrane summary information (positive vs negative framing of health information) affects affect the perception of the efficacy and intention for use of the described treatment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 91
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Croatia
  • Split, Croatia, 21000
    • University of Split School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• First year medical students

Exclusion Criteria:

• Those who have failed first year and have to repeat it.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Positive frame; The numerical expressions were presented in a positive way: e.g. treatment was successful for 4 out of 10 persons.	Other: Frame of numerical information; Each group received only one frame of information.
Experimental: Negative frame; The numerical expressions were presented in a negative way: e.g. treatment was unsuccessful for 6 out of 10 persons.	Other: Frame of numerical information; Each group received only one frame of information.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perception of effectiveness	One item on Likert type scale from 1-10, higher score indicates the higher perceived effectiveness.	Immediately after reading

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Desire to use the described treatment	One item on Likert type scale from 1-10, higher score indicates the greater desire to use the described treatment.	Immediately after reading
Desire that treatment is prescribed by family doctor	One item on Likert type scale from 1-10. Higher score indicates the greater desire that treatment is prescribed by family doctor.	Immediately after reading

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Split, School of Medicine
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ivan Buljan, MPsy, University of Split, School of Medicine

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Buljan I, Tokalic R, Roguljic M, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Vrdoljak D, Milic P, Puljak L, Marusic A. Framing the numerical findings of Cochrane plain language summaries: two randomized controlled trials. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2020 May 6;20(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s12874-020-00990-4.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 29, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 29, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): January 29, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 16, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 16, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): February 22, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 26, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2018
• Last Verified: February 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Grant No. IP-2014-09-7672

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Available upon request from principal investigator.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No