SynthesisJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine2009
A systematic review of interventions to improve recall of medical advice in healthcare consultations.
Synthesis in Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 86 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Overactive Bladder Education
Educating Brain Tumor Patients Using Patient-specific Actual-size Three-dimensional Printed Models: a Case-control Study
Who cites it
86 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Patient information leaflets to reduce antibiotic use and reconsultation rates in general practice: a systematic review.BMJ open · 2015Pooled it
- Interventions to improve safe and effective medicines use by consumers: an overview of systematic reviews.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014Pooled it
- Improving cancer clinical trial enrollment and patient understanding using TrialTalk, a structured communication method: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- The feasibility of sharing digital audio-recordings of clinic visits online with older adults in primary care settings: A multisite trial.Patient education and counseling · 2025Trial
- The effect of video-assisted learning on pre-operative knowledge and satisfaction for total knee arthroplasty surgery: a randomised-controlled study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2024Trial
- Training physicians in providing complex information to patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomised controlled trial.BMJ open · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Communication and patient participation influencing patient recall of treatment discussions.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2017Trial
- Pilot study to assess the influence of an enhanced medication plan on patient knowledge at hospital discharge.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2014Trial
- Do parents recall and understand children's weight status information after BMI screening? A randomised controlled trial.BMJ open · 2014Trial
- Cost effectiveness of a computer-delivered intervention to improve HIV medication adherence.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2013Trial
- Article
- Numeracy and recall of Alzheimer's disease risk information: Effects of risk format in a Latino community.Patient education and counseling · 2026Article
- Medication adherence rates in patients with ocular inflammatory disease.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- A Qualitative Study of Cytomegalovirus Awareness and Experience in Kidney Transplant Recipients.Journal of transplantation · 2026Article
- Dental Students' Perceptions of an After-Visit Summary in an Academic Clinical Setting: Mixed-Method Approach.Journal of dental education · 2025Article
- The Influence of Anesthesiologist Gender and Experience on Risk Understanding and Anxiety Changes After Online Preoperative Patient Education: A Sub-Analysis of the iPREDICT Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- [Therapy for an overactive bladder in 5 minutes? The INKA app makes it possible].Urologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- Cross-sectional survey of medical professionals' attitudes toward recorded doctor-patient conversations.Journal of public health research · 2025Article
- Drivers and barriers to fish and seafood consumption in the first 1000 days of life.NPJ science of food · 2025Article
26 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIn order for patients to adhere to healthcare advice, it is essential that they are able to recall this following a consultation. Although psychological research exists which highlights techniques and factors postulated to influence recall, only a limited body of work has been conducted to evaluate their effectiveness in a clinical context.
aimTo carry out a systematic review of intervention trials designed to enhance recall of medical information.
methodsWe searched Medline (1950-April 2007); Embase (1980-April 2007); Cinahl (1982-April 2007); PsychINFO (1969-2007); and the Cochrane Library Collection. Secondary searches were made through reference to relevant journals and reference lists from relevant papers/review papers.
resultsFrom 69 papers provisionally identified, 34 papers met the inclusion criteria. Nine recall interventions had been evaluated (audio recordings, written materials, adjunct questions, prompt sheets, visual aids, cognitive strategies, rehearsal, communication styles and personalized teaching). Despite the experimental and theoretical evidence which could have informed cognitive interventions to enhance recall of healthcare advice, most studies primarily focused on the use of written and/or audio-recorded medical instructions. Although the majority of studies supported these approaches insofar as they enhanced recall, the findings were equivocal.
conclusionWhile written and tape-recorded instructions appear to improve recall in most situations, a dearth of interventions incorporating psychological theory was readily apparent. Further research is required in clinical settings to determine if cognitive interventions based on a more over-arching psychological model of recall are effective.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.