Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37940944›Full record

SynthesisBMC medicine2023

Can we achieve better trial recruitment by presenting patient information through multimedia? Meta-analysis of 'studies within a trial' (SWATs).

Vichithranie W Madurasinghe, Peter Knapp, Sandra Eldridge, David Collier, Shaun Treweek, Jo Rick, Jonathan Graffy, Adwoa Parker, Chris Salisbury, David Torgerson and 9 more

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

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

  1. Strategies to improve recruitment to randomised trials.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. 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

19 authors.

Vichithranie W MadurasingheNuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
Peter KnappDepartment of Health Sciences, University of York & the Hull York Medical School, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Sandra EldridgeCentre for Clinical Trials and Methodology, Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK.
David CollierBarts NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.
Shaun TreweekHealth Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, 3Rd Floor, Health Sciences Building, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
Jo RickNational Institute of Health Research School for Primary Care Research, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Centre for Primary Care, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Jonathan GraffyGeneral Practitioner Arbury Road Surgery 114, Arbury Road, Cambridge, CB4 2JG, UK.
Adwoa ParkerYork Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Chris SalisburyCentre for Academic Primary Care, Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
David TorgersonDepartment of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Kate JollyInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Manbinder S SidhuHealth Services Management Centre, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2RT, UK.
Christopher Fife-SchawUniversity of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Mark A HullLeeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Kirsty SprangeNottingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Elizabeth BrettellBirmingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Sunil BhandariDepartment of Renal Medicine, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and Hull York Medical School, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU3 2JZ, UK.
Alan MontgomeryNottingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Peter BowerNIHR School for Primary Care Research, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. peter.bower@manchester.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-9558-3349

Funding

Medical Research Council G1002325Medical Research Council MC_G1002465Medical Research Council MC_PC_14138
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople need high-quality information to make decisions about research participation. Providing information in written format alone is conventional but may not be the most effective and acceptable approach. We developed a structure for the presentation of information using multimedia which included generic and trial-specific content. Our aim was to embed 'Studies Within A Trial' (SWATs) across multiple ongoing trials to test whether multimedia presentation of patient information led to better rates of recruitment.

methodsFive trials included a SWAT and randomised their participants to receive a multimedia presentation alongside standard information, or standard written information alone. We collected data on trial recruitment, acceptance and retention and analysed the pooled results using random effects meta-analysis, with the primary outcome defined as the proportion of participants randomised following an invitation to take part.

resultsFive SWATs provided data on the primary outcome of proportion of participants randomised. Multimedia alongside written information results in little or no difference in recruitment rates (pooled odds ratio = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.79 to 1.17, p-value = 0.671, I

conclusionsMultimedia alongside written information did not improve trial recruitment rates.

trial registrationISRCTN71952900, ISRCTN 06710391, ISRCTN 17160087, ISRCTN05926847, ISRCTN62869767.

Indexed as

MultimediaResearch DesignHumansOdds RatioPatient SelectionInformationMeta-analysisRandomised controlled trialRecruitmentResearch methodologySWATsUser testing

Identifiers

PMID37940944
PMCPMC10634086

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.