Clinical trials explained: Why health literacy matters…
January 25, 2024 | Plain Language, clinical trials, design, health literacy
Clinical trial recruitment can be a challenge. By applying the principles of health literacy to all materials, we can support people to make an informed choice about whether to take part in a clinical trial.
Most people don’t make important decisions on a whim. They tend to consider the information, weighing up the pros and cons before making a choice.
This is why there is sometimes a barrier to people agreeing to join a clinical trial; they don’t fully understand what is required of them, and not having easy access to all information can mean decision making is difficult. But there are ways in which we can support them to make an informed choice about whether to take part in a clinical trial.
This is where health literacy plays a vital role. It helps ensure that patients understand the information they have been given — by communicating complex language plainly and simply — and empowers them to make decisions about their own healthcare.
Health literacy is not just about plain language, though. Simple visuals play an important role in improving health literacy when used correctly, and they can be particularly useful for people with reading difficulties.
At Cuttsy+Cuttsy, we want clinical trial materials to be accessible to everyone. Here are some of the things we always keep in mind to ensure that everything we create is health literate and fit for purpose.
| What we do | Why we do it |
|---|---|
| Immerse ourselves in the patient’s trial journey. | To make an informed decision, patients need to know exactly what participating in the clinical trial involve, Standing in the patients’ shoes helps us to understand what information they need in order to make a choice. |
| Transform complex science into plain language and avoid using highly technical or medical terms. | Healthcare is full of confusing jargon and acronym. So, we keep it simple to ensure that patients understand what they are being asked to do. |
| Use an appropriate tone of voice. | Speaking to patients in language they would use promotes understanding and helps alleviate any fears they may have. |
| Break information down into manageable chunks. | Keeping it short and simple prevents patients being overloaded with information. |
| Use an appropriate reading age. | Following diagnosis, a patient’s reading age and comprehension can be affected. We ensure that information is simplified to support understanding. |
| Developing engaging graphics. | Graphics and images help to clarify text, give words context, and make information more appealing. |
| Create visual cues and simple iconography. | Positioning of visual cues and icons helps signpost important ‘need to knows’ whilst their consistency and familiarity can help develop trust in a study. |
| Create a story flow. | By following a logical order, content can be read more easily, and the most important informatio is more likely to be retained. |
| Use design thinking to create approachable materials with clear layouts and readability. | By focusing on the needs of patients first, we can design materials that helps to make information more accessible and less overwhelming. |
The health literacy principles that we carry through all our clinical trial work help to make information more accessible and less overwhelming for people. We know that it can be a difficult time for patients, but understanding what their participation in a clinical trial involves and truly feeling comfortable with the information they receive can also help them to retain a sense of control.
So, if you’d like to know more about how health literacy principles can improve the patient experience in your clinical trial work, let’s talk.
You can read all our latest clinical trials explained blogs here.
This content was provided by Cuttsy + Cuttsy
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