Authors' objectives: To develop a methodological guide that facilitates the systematic adaptation of the health technology assessment reports to be used by patients or citizens. To identify different methodological proposals to produce and to transmit citizen-friendly health information. To define the general structure and content that will shape a citizen-friendly version of a health technology assessment report for general use. A preliminary search was carried out to find the type of documents published in relation to the production and transmission of citizen-friendly information on health or disease. This was followed by a final search in the Cochrane Library and CRD Databases (DARE, HTA & NHS EED), EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL. The main Websites related to the production and transmission of information on health or disease to citizens, were also searched. Finally a manual search was conducted.Only those documents meeting the previously established inclusion criteria were selected, while all documents related to information on environmental risks were excluded. Twelve documents met the inclusion criteria. Three of these were excluded as they were simply summarised versions of included documents. A summary was produced of the remaining nine documents, which formed the foundation of the guidelines. The following points were identified for consideration in the production of a citizen-friendly report: Citizen (patients and users) participation in all phases of the process for creating documents for the target-user. Use of scientific information to prepare the content of the documents as it increases the credibility of the information provided. Methodology advice used in scientific dissemination in the press, marketing, or advertising, to be followed in order to write and present scientific information. Consider citizens’ preferences for the presentation of the documents. Use tests that aid in evaluating the readability, understanding and presentation of the information from the citizens’ perspective, before editing the final version. Use criteria that help authors evaluate the methodological quality of the document. Use criteria that aid in evaluating the scientific quality of the content of the citizen-friendly documents.

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: https://www.aetsa.org/publicacion/manual-para-adaptar-informes-de-evaluacion-de-tecnologias-sanitarias-a-los-ciudadanos/

Year Published: 2011

URL for published report: https://www.aetsa.org/download/publicaciones/antiguas/AETSA_2007_18.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Andalusian Health Technology Assessment Area

Contact Address: Area de Evaluacion de Tecnologias Sanitarias Sanitarias de Andalucia (AETSA) Avda. Innovación, s/n Edificio Arena 1. Sevilla (Spain) Tel. +34 955 006 309

Contact Name: aetsa.csalud@juntadeandalucia.es

Contact Email: aetsa.csalud@juntadeandalucia.es

Copyright: Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AETSA)