Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34407858›Full record

ArticleTrials2021

An evaluation of the process of informed consent: views from research participants and staff.

Lydia O' Sullivan, Laura Feeney, Rachel K Crowley, Prasanth Sukumar, Eilish McAuliffe, Peter Doran

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Perceptions of health research participation in rural and urban Pennsylvanians.Journal of clinical and translational science · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Support in Decision-Making for All.The Journal of law, medicine & ethics : a journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Awareness of middle ear pathologies in South Africa: Towards a primordial preventive audiology.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir Kommunikasieafwykings · 2024
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Molecular Prevalence and Subtypes Distribution ofTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2024
    Review
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lydia O' SullivanSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. lydia.osullivan@ucd.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7131-5048
Laura FeeneySchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Rachel K CrowleySchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Prasanth SukumarSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Eilish McAuliffeUniversity College Dublin Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Peter DoranSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Funding

Health Research Board HRB-TMRN-2017-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe process of informed consent for enrolment to a clinical research study can be complex for both participants and research staff. Challenges include respecting the potential participant's autonomy and information needs while simultaneously providing adequate information to enable an informed decision. Qualitative research with small sample sizes has added to our understanding of these challenges. However, there is value in garnering the perspectives of research participants and staff across larger samples to explore the impact of contextual factors (time spent, the timing of the discussion and the setting), on the informed consent process.

methodsResearch staff and research participants from Ireland and the UK were invited to complete an anonymous survey by post or online (research participants) and online (research staff). The surveys aimed to quantify the perceptions of research participants and staff regarding some contextual factors about the process of informed consent. The survey, which contained 14 and 16 multiple choice questions for research participants and staff respectively, was analysed using descriptive statistics. Both surveys included one optional, open-ended question, which were analysed thematically.

resultsResearch participants (169) and research staff (115) completed the survey. Research participants were predominantly positive about the informed consent process but highlighted the importance of having sufficient time and the value of providing follow-up once the study concludes, e.g. providing results to participants. Most staff (74.4%) staff reported that they felt very confident or confident facilitating informed consent discussions, but 63% felt information leaflets were too long and/or complicated, 56% were concerned about whether participants had understood complex information and 40% felt that time constraints were a barrier. A dominant theme from the open-ended responses to the staff survey was the importance of adequate time and resources.

conclusionsResearch participants in this study were overwhelmingly positive about their experience of the informed consent process. However, research staff expressed concern about how much participants have understood and studies of patient comprehension of research study information would seem to confirm these fears. This study highlights the importance of allocating adequate time to informed consent discussions, and research staff could consider using Teach Back techniques.

trial registrationNot applicable.

Indexed as

ComprehensionInformed ConsentHumansIrelandQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesClinical researchClinical trialsInformed consentMethodologySurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID34407858
PMCPMC8371296

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.