Facilitated access to healthcare evidence-based information to promote better communication between consumers and professionals

Session: 

Oral session: Knowledge translation and communicating evidence (5)

Date: 

Monday 17 September 2018 - 12:10 to 12:20

Location: 

Carrick 2

All authors in correct order:

Burdet C1, Demeulemeester J2, Dubois J3, Burnand B1
1 Cochrane Switzerland and IUMSP, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland
2 Fédération romande des consommateurs, Lausanne, Switzerland
3 IUMSP, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland
Presenting author and contact person

Presenting author:

Bernard Burnand

Contact person:

Bernard Burnand
Abstract text
Background:
Cochrane Switzerland collaborates with the consumers’ federation of the French speaking part of Switzerland to foster the use of scientific evidence-based information by public and patients. The national provision of the Cochrane Library in Switzerland provides one source of information for all. The current format of Cochrane abstracts, however, is often not easy to understand.
Objectives: To set up and test a prototype platform of structured, brief, simplified abstracts of Cochrane reviews for the public in French.

Methods:
We built a prototype platform that included 25 Cochrane Reviews, selected on the following criteria: 1) topics relevant for the general public; 2) amongst the top 50 most frequently accessed Cochrane Reviews in Switzerland; and 3) abstract available in French. To test the relevance of our prototype and to define the information needs of healthcare professionals and consumers better, we created an online survey and are conducting a participative development including public representatives in interviews and focus groups.

Results:
We focused on general prevention (e.g. impact of institutional smoking bans, light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder) and themes fostering healthcare self-management (e.g. vitamin C for common cold) to build the prototype platform. We grouped the chosen topics under the following themes (review number): allergies/asthma (5); cold (5); pain (5); elders’ health (4); dental health (3); tobacco (3). Each summary starts with the question (title), followed by a summary of evidence and quality of evidence and a context, for a total length of 150 to 300 words. Among the 66 targeted individuals who rated the platform, 65 thought it was important to get direct access to evidence-based health information and 70% found that the platform was easy to navigate and that the messages were easy to understand.

Conclusions:
The prototype platform allowed preliminary testing of communication support about evidence of effectiveness of healthcare interventions that may help the public and patients to make evidence-based decisions. Further developments about the type and format of information are being developed by consumer groups (according to age, gender and presence of a chronic disease).

Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
Direct participation in the project.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

The partnership between a consumer organisation and Cochrane Switzerland allowed to develop a pilot platform for simplified abstracts of Cochrane reviews. Each summary starts with the question (title), followed by a summary of evidence and of quality of evidence and a context, for a total length of 150-300 words. A preliminary evaluation by 66 individuals indicated that almost all favoured direct access to evidence-based health information and that over two thirds of them found both that the platform was easy to navigate and that the messages were easy to understand.