Article type
Abstract
Objectives: To build 'resilience' against false information (fake news) about health by disseminating knowledge on critical approaches to health information, and understandable scientific data
Methods: On the basis of translated Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) we prepared a series of easy-to-read infographics and animations targeting non-professionals. We developed the scheme including the most important data from systematic reviews (SRs). We have graphically presented the concepts of risk ratio (RR), risk difference (RD), and GRADE data quality assessment and we will use them to prepare educational materials for lay audience. Next, our experience will be compiled into a practical guide with assumptions we have made in order to reduce scientific language to plain language without losing the scientific precision. The final step will include user testing.
Results: We searched for all PLSs published since 2020 and chose 240 for translation out of which 60 were selected for infographics and animations describing SRs’ results and explaining them in an understandable and concise form. All infographics are presented in standardized graphical form and report the following: title, population (number of included studies, number of participants), illustrations of intervention and comparator (if needed for clear communication), outcomes with graphical representation of results with GRADE certainty level, side effects (if presented), and conclusions. Additionally, our consumers can find visual description of the interpretation of effect measures (e.g. MD, RR) and GRADE certainty of evidence [Figure 1, in Polish].
Conclusions: Graphical representation of SRs with the greatest possible reduction of written words requires a creative approach using comparisons from everyday life, e.g. weeding the garden and planting plants to illustrate e.g. the RR effect measure. One of the biggest challenges is to develop images that are unambiguously understood by the audience and appropriate to represent abstract concepts.
Our project aims at helping patients understand scientific data and build 'resilience' against fake news
Methods: On the basis of translated Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) we prepared a series of easy-to-read infographics and animations targeting non-professionals. We developed the scheme including the most important data from systematic reviews (SRs). We have graphically presented the concepts of risk ratio (RR), risk difference (RD), and GRADE data quality assessment and we will use them to prepare educational materials for lay audience. Next, our experience will be compiled into a practical guide with assumptions we have made in order to reduce scientific language to plain language without losing the scientific precision. The final step will include user testing.
Results: We searched for all PLSs published since 2020 and chose 240 for translation out of which 60 were selected for infographics and animations describing SRs’ results and explaining them in an understandable and concise form. All infographics are presented in standardized graphical form and report the following: title, population (number of included studies, number of participants), illustrations of intervention and comparator (if needed for clear communication), outcomes with graphical representation of results with GRADE certainty level, side effects (if presented), and conclusions. Additionally, our consumers can find visual description of the interpretation of effect measures (e.g. MD, RR) and GRADE certainty of evidence [Figure 1, in Polish].
Conclusions: Graphical representation of SRs with the greatest possible reduction of written words requires a creative approach using comparisons from everyday life, e.g. weeding the garden and planting plants to illustrate e.g. the RR effect measure. One of the biggest challenges is to develop images that are unambiguously understood by the audience and appropriate to represent abstract concepts.
Our project aims at helping patients understand scientific data and build 'resilience' against fake news