ArticlePloS one2026
Co-developing a survey on public understanding of sustainable clinical research: A study protocol.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundClinical research is essential for medical advancement but contributes to carbon emissions through activities such as travel, data management, and laboratory processes. As healthcare systems move towards net-zero targets, there is a growing need to understand public awareness of and attitudes towards environmental sustainability in clinical research. Public and patient involvement (PPI) can enhance the relevance and acceptability of research, however there is limited evidence on how best to co-develop tools to assess public understanding of sustainable clinical research.
methodsThis study is a two-phase protocol. Phase I involves the co-development of an anonymous online survey with PPI partners through two structured workshops. Survey themes, topics, questions and format will be agreed collaboratively, and the co-development process will be evaluated using qualitative data collected during the workshops. These data will be analysed thematically, using Braun & Clarke's (2006) framework. Phase II involves distribution of the survey to clinical research, patient and public networks using an online platform. Survey data will be analysed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and inductive content analysis for qualitative responses. DISCUSSION: This study will generate a co-developed survey instrument and provide insights into public understanding of sustainable clinical research. Reporting on both the survey findings and the PPI co-development process will inform future research and support the development of sustainable research clinical practices.
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.