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; Kate Jolly; Manbinder S Sidhu; Christopher Fife-Schaw; Mark A Hull; Kirsty Sprange; Elizabeth Brettell; Sunil Bhandari; Alan Montgomery; Peter Bower

doi:10.1186/s12916-023-03081-5

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, Kate Jolly, Manbinder S Sidhu, Christopher Fife-Schaw, Mark A Hull, Kirsty Sprange, Elizabeth Brettell, Sunil Bhandari, Alan Montgomery, Peter Bower^* (Corresponding Author)

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

1 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: People 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.

METHODS: Five 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.

RESULTS: Five 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, I2 = 0%). There was no effect on any other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Multimedia alongside written information did not improve trial recruitment rates.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN71952900, ISRCTN 06710391, ISRCTN 17160087, ISRCTN05926847, ISRCTN62869767.

Original language	English
Article number	425
Number of pages	10
Journal	BMC medicine
Volume	21
Issue number	1
Early online date	8 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03081-5
Publication status	Published - 8 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge all those in the trial teams who supported this programme of SWATs, as well as our public contributors (Ailsa Donnelly and Judith Hogg). We also thank Paul Wallace (original MRC START applicant) and Reason Digital for multimedia development. We thank the patients who participated in the GHT2000, PSM COPD, HI-Light, seAFOod and STOP-ACEi trials, the members of the Birmingham and Nottingham Clinical Trials Units, the Research and Development Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and the staff members at all the participating trial centres.

Funding
The authors wish to acknowledge the MRC Methodology Research Programme which funds this research (MRC grant reference: G1002325). The MRC has no role in study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or the decision to submit the report for publication.

Keywords

Recruitment
Information
user testing
Research methodology
Randomised controlled trial
SWATS
Metanalysis

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Cite this

Madurasinghe, V. W., Knapp, P., Eldridge, S., Collier, D., Treweek, S., Rick, J., Graffy, J., Parker, A., Salisbury, C., Torgerson, D., Jolly, K., Sidhu, M. S., Fife-Schaw, C., Hull, M. A., Sprange, K., Brettell, E., Bhandari, S., Montgomery, A., & Bower, P. (2023). Can we achieve better trial recruitment by presenting patient information through multimedia? Meta-analysis of 'studies within a trial' (SWATs). BMC medicine , 21(1), Article 425. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03081-5

Madurasinghe, VW, Knapp, P, Eldridge, S, Collier, D, Treweek, S, Rick, J, Graffy, J, Parker, A, Salisbury, C, Torgerson, D, Jolly, K, Sidhu, MS, Fife-Schaw, C, Hull, MA, Sprange, K, Brettell, E, Bhandari, S, Montgomery, A & Bower, P 2023, 'Can we achieve better trial recruitment by presenting patient information through multimedia? Meta-analysis of 'studies within a trial' (SWATs)', BMC medicine , vol. 21, no. 1, 425. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03081-5

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note = "Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge all those in the trial teams who supported this programme of SWATs, as well as our public contributors (Ailsa Donnelly and Judith Hogg). We also thank Paul Wallace (original MRC START applicant) and Reason Digital for multimedia development. We thank the patients who participated in the GHT2000, PSM COPD, HI-Light, seAFOod and STOP-ACEi trials, the members of the Birmingham and Nottingham Clinical Trials Units, the Research and Development Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and the staff members at all the participating trial centres. Funding The authors wish to acknowledge the MRC Methodology Research Programme which funds this research (MRC grant reference: G1002325). The MRC has no role in study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or the decision to submit the report for publication.",

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T2 - Meta-analysis of 'studies within a trial' (SWATs)

AU - Madurasinghe, Vichithranie W

AU - Knapp, Peter

AU - Eldridge, Sandra

AU - Collier, David

AU - Treweek, Shaun

AU - Rick, Jo

AU - Graffy, Jonathan

AU - Parker, Adwoa

AU - Salisbury, Chris

AU - Torgerson, David

AU - Jolly, Kate

AU - Sidhu, Manbinder S

AU - Fife-Schaw, Christopher

AU - Hull, Mark A

AU - Sprange, Kirsty

AU - Brettell, Elizabeth

AU - Bhandari, Sunil

AU - Montgomery, Alan

AU - Bower, Peter

N1 - Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge all those in the trial teams who supported this programme of SWATs, as well as our public contributors (Ailsa Donnelly and Judith Hogg). We also thank Paul Wallace (original MRC START applicant) and Reason Digital for multimedia development. We thank the patients who participated in the GHT2000, PSM COPD, HI-Light, seAFOod and STOP-ACEi trials, the members of the Birmingham and Nottingham Clinical Trials Units, the Research and Development Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and the staff members at all the participating trial centres. Funding The authors wish to acknowledge the MRC Methodology Research Programme which funds this research (MRC grant reference: G1002325). The MRC has no role in study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or the decision to submit the report for publication.

PY - 2023/11/8

Y1 - 2023/11/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: People 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.METHODS: Five 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.RESULTS: Five 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, I2 = 0%). There was no effect on any other outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: Multimedia alongside written information did not improve trial recruitment rates.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN71952900, ISRCTN 06710391, ISRCTN 17160087, ISRCTN05926847, ISRCTN62869767.

AB - BACKGROUND: People 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.METHODS: Five 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.RESULTS: Five 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, I2 = 0%). There was no effect on any other outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: Multimedia alongside written information did not improve trial recruitment rates.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN71952900, ISRCTN 06710391, ISRCTN 17160087, ISRCTN05926847, ISRCTN62869767.

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KW - user testing

KW - Research methodology

KW - Randomised controlled trial

KW - SWATS

KW - Metanalysis

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DO - 10.1186/s12916-023-03081-5

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