Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Over the past ten years the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group has developed consumer summaries based on their reviews. How these summaries can be best communicated online has not been studied.
Objectives: To conduct a web-based survey to learn: 1) whether patients find the summaries useful; 2) whether computer expertise affects perceived usefulness; and 3) how to improve the summaries.
Methods: Anonymous visitors to the Arthritis Society of Canada's website (www.arthritis.ca) and members of the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance were asked to read one of ten one-page online consumer summaries and then complete a questionnaire about its usability (e.g. layout, useful information), the extent to which it would prepare them to make a treatment decision, and about themselves (demographics, computer experience).
Results: Of the 263 survey respondents (female, 79.4%; had a musculoskeletal disorder, 94.2%), the majority (86.6%) spent less than 10 minutes reading a summary. Overall, respondents rated the summaries favourably; 62.9% were very confident they understood the key points; 79.3% said learning from the summary was easy; and 85.2% said the information was useful. Most agreed that the summary was well laid out (82.8%) and used appropriate language (92.1%). However, computer novices felt less confident about understanding the key points (p=.005), rated the summary lower on how well it prepared them to make a treatment decision (p=.013), and rated the summary as more frustrating (p=.017). To improve the summaries, respondents most often indicated that we should provide more detail, make various formatting changes, and provide more summaries for other treatments.
Conclusions: The online consumer summaries were generally rated as useful, easy to read and understand, and helpful for decision making. Arthritis consumers appeared to want more information and more details about treatments. Computer expertise affects perceived usefulness; summaries disseminated online must be designed for audiences that vary in computer expertise.
Objectives: To conduct a web-based survey to learn: 1) whether patients find the summaries useful; 2) whether computer expertise affects perceived usefulness; and 3) how to improve the summaries.
Methods: Anonymous visitors to the Arthritis Society of Canada's website (www.arthritis.ca) and members of the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance were asked to read one of ten one-page online consumer summaries and then complete a questionnaire about its usability (e.g. layout, useful information), the extent to which it would prepare them to make a treatment decision, and about themselves (demographics, computer experience).
Results: Of the 263 survey respondents (female, 79.4%; had a musculoskeletal disorder, 94.2%), the majority (86.6%) spent less than 10 minutes reading a summary. Overall, respondents rated the summaries favourably; 62.9% were very confident they understood the key points; 79.3% said learning from the summary was easy; and 85.2% said the information was useful. Most agreed that the summary was well laid out (82.8%) and used appropriate language (92.1%). However, computer novices felt less confident about understanding the key points (p=.005), rated the summary lower on how well it prepared them to make a treatment decision (p=.013), and rated the summary as more frustrating (p=.017). To improve the summaries, respondents most often indicated that we should provide more detail, make various formatting changes, and provide more summaries for other treatments.
Conclusions: The online consumer summaries were generally rated as useful, easy to read and understand, and helpful for decision making. Arthritis consumers appeared to want more information and more details about treatments. Computer expertise affects perceived usefulness; summaries disseminated online must be designed for audiences that vary in computer expertise.