Cochrane plain language summaries are highly heterogeneous with low adherence to the standards

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyze whether Cochrane plain language summaries (PLSs) adhere to the Standards for the reporting of Plain Language Summaries in new Cochrane Intervention Reviews (PLEACS).MethodsA systematic analysis of adherence to the measurable PLEACS items was performed for Cochrane PLSs published from March 2013 to the end of January 2015. Duplicate independent data extraction was performed. An adherence score was calculated for each PLS and for the Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) that published them.ResultsOf the 1738 analyzed PLSs, not a single one adhered fully to the measured PLEACS items. The highest adherence was found for absence of details of the search strategy (99 % adherence), and the lowest adherence for an item mandating to address quality according to the GRADE system (0.7 % adherence). Overall adherence percentage of PLSs reporting reviews with included studies was 57 %. Different CRGs had a wide range of adherence scores.ConclusionsCochrane plain language summaries are highly heterogeneous with a low adherence to the PLEACS standards. Therefore, there is much room for improving the content and consistency of the PLS. A standardization of PLSs is necessary to ensure delivery of proper and consistent information for consumers.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12874-016-0162-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Languages for different health information readers: multitrait-multimethod content analysis of Cochrane systematic reviews textual summary formats

“…This means that there should be a balance between reading ease and accurate information about health. Cochrane has been testing different interventions to this aim, including PLEACS standards (Plain Language Expectations for Authors of Cochrane Summaries) for writing plain language summaries [15]. However, the authors of Cochrane systematic reviews, who write both the Scientific abstract and the Plain language summary formats, often do not follow these standards [15].…”

“…Cochrane has been testing different interventions to this aim, including PLEACS standards (Plain Language Expectations for Authors of Cochrane Summaries) for writing plain language summaries [15]. However, the authors of Cochrane systematic reviews, who write both the Scientific abstract and the Plain language summary formats, often do not follow these standards [15]. Other formats, such as infographics, may also not be better for understanding the results of a Cochrane systematic review in comparison to a well-written plain language summary [34].…”

“…Finally, Plain language summaries are formats written for the lay public – consumers, patients and their families, and are translated into several languages. Plain languages summaries are written by review authors, but they often do not follow Cochrane writing standards [15], and are thus diverse in style, words usage, and possibly in literacy requirements.…”

Capacity building for knowledge translation: A survey about the characteristics and motivation of volunteer translators of Cochrane plain language summaries

“…Cochrane PLSs is an important knowledge translation tool of the Cochrane, as they present high‐quality evidence in non‐expert language. Even though Cochrane PLSs are not uniformly written, and sometimes they contain language that is not plain, they bring useful information about Cochrane review findings to individuals without medical education.…”

Something for everyone

“…The aim is to "summarize the review in a straightforward style that can be understood by consumers of health care," says Nancy Owens, senior communication manager at Cochrane. Although authors are given guidelines to help them write a summary for their review, a recent study found that none of the plain-language summaries published by Cochrane during a 23-month period fully adhered to these guidelines ( Jelicic Kadic et al, 2016 ). Owens says that Cochrane is currently involved in a project to "to improve and standardize the content, presentation, and readability of plain-language summaries to make them easier to read, use, and translate into other languages."…”