Introducing Plain Language Summaries to improve research accessibility
| 6 December, 2023 | admin |
As part of Wellcome’s wider effort to ensure the research it funds can be maximised to improve global health outcomes, Wellcome Open Research is introducing Plain Language Summaries as a new requirement when submitting to the platform.
We spoke to Christine Ferguson, Open Research Specialist at the Wellcome Trust, to learn more about what Plain Language Summaries are and why they’re important. We also provide some examples of successful Plain Language Summaries at the end of this post.
Additionally, we’ve created a handy guide to cover everything you need to know when writing a PLS for your Wellcome Open Research submission, including more examples of Plain Language Summaries.
What is a Plain Language Summary?
A Plain Language Summary (PLS), also known as a lay summary, communicates research outcomes in a concise format using clear, understandable language.
With the aim to reduce jargon and focus on research results and impacts, PLS can help those with lived experience relevant to the research, professionals outside of the immediate research area, practitioners, policymakers, and the general public to better understand, and engage with, the latest scientific research.
Why are Plain Language Summaries important in research?
A piece of research, although it can be specialised and cutting-edge, is more powerful if it can reach multiple audiences.
Researchers tend to be specialists in specific disciplines, but if work can be ‘translated’ or simplified so that it is articulated beyond its discipline, it has the possibility of being built on and reused by other researchers.
In particular, policymakers use a language that is different from researchers – their job of finding relevant research for their needs is made easier by providing summaries of research written with the non-specialist in mind.
Additionally, grant managers and other staff within funding organisations are not necessarily specialists in a particular area of research that their organisation funds, and providing clear, accessible explanations of research can help in funding decisions.
Why is Wellcome Open Research introducing Plain Language Summaries as part of future submissions?
The introduction of PLS to Wellcome Open Research is a small part of much broader efforts at Wellcome to ensure that the research we fund can solve urgent health challenges.
As a funder, Wellcome strongly believes that research requires an element of trust. This means that readers know that all research is conducted with integrity, and that as many voices as possible are engaged during the research to ensure it impacts those whose lives will be directly affected by the research.
PLS help the wider community to understand the research and ensure that it can be shared and reused as widely as possible afterwards.
PLS will support Wellcome Open Research to reach another milestone in our journey to ensure that all Wellcome-funded research is made as openly available to the broadest audience possible, to maximise the benefits to health – this is also the key objective of Wellcome’s open access policy.
Furthermore, authors will gain practice in being able to articulate their research to the broadest possible audience, which we believe is a key skill for researchers.
Spotlight on: Plain Language Summaries in Mental Health research
Wellcome Open Research and the Global Alliance for Living Evidence on aNxiety, depressiOn and pSychosis (GALENOS) have partnered to provide a dedicated research hub for Living Evidence Reviews for the project.
We spoke to Manvi Tiwari and David Gilbert, member and chair of the GALENOS Global Experiential Advisory Board respectively, to understand the importance of PLS for mental health research in particular.
“One of the obvious benefits of PLS in mental health research is that it increases the accessibility of that research, bringing research to a wider audience who perhaps would not have been able to access it otherwise. As those working in research, we often forget that our acronyms are jargon for those on the outside. It can help the public understand the purpose of the research and can help highlight the “important bit” of the research.
Additionally, having a PLS can help ensure research transparency, with research teams being held accountable in an accessible way. It can challenge researchers to really consider the ‘why?’ and ‘so what?’ questions. This can encourage dialogue and reflection across and within research teams, and helps make sure the ‘why are we doing this?’ is never forgotten!
Moreover, most research in mental health is written in English which is not the first language of so many across the world. Having a clear PLS can help reduce inequitable access to research findings and bridge the global divide as well, helping to avoid inadvertent mistranslations by other commentators.”
How to write a PLS and examples of successful Plain Language Summaries
Plain Language Summaries will be required for all Wellcome Open Research submissions from December 2023. We’ve included some examples of successful Plain Language Summaries below.
HIV-Negative Men may Avoid Rural Clinics, Fuelling Tuberculosis Crisis in South Africa
Research overview
South Africa has a significant number of individuals with active tuberculosis (TB) disease who are not receiving treatment, which poses a risk for further TB transmission. Surveys have consistently shown a high prevalence of TB among men who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
HIV care remains the main reason for primary healthcare clinic (PHC) visits in South Africa. In this study, the researchers investigated how frequently men who are HIV-negative attended a rural PHC in a region of South Africa with high TB prevalence.
Why is it important?
Traditionally, TB screening in South Africa is limited to clinics. This study suggests that, as a group, men with HIV-negative or unknown status may be reluctant to visit PHCs in the rural areas of the country. Therefore, enhancing TB screening solely within clinics may not effectively target this group of individuals, potentially leaving a significant number of undiagnosed TB cases untreated. Therefore, alternative strategies to identify and treat TB at an earlier stage in this group are urgently needed.
Key takeaway
Men who are HIV-negative or have an unknown HIV status rarely visit PHCs in rural South Africa, which may account for low TB screening and high prevalence of TB within this group, posing a significant and lingering public health challenge.
Article type: Research Article
Title of the paper: Can we find the missing men in clinics? Clinic attendance by sex and HIV status in rural South Africa
Authors: Safiyya Randera-Rees, Wende Clarence Safari, Dickman Gareta, Kobus Herbst, Kathy Baisley, and Alison D. Grant
Corresponding author e-mail address: randerareess@gmail.com
DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16702.2
Assessing Missed Nursing Care in Low-Middle Income Countries
When nurses fail to complete specific tasks or provide adequate patient care, it can worsen patient health outcomes. “Missed nursing care” is strongly associated with a significant decline in healthcare quality. While numerous studies have measured the extent of missed nursing care in high-income countries (HICs), we lack a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon in low-middle income countries (LMICs).
A shortage of nursing staff is associated with an increased likelihood of missed nursing care. Staffing shortage is more common in countries with limited healthcare resources, such as LMICs compared to HICs. Consequently, the problem of missed nursing care is higher in these nations.
This study conducted a systematic literature review to assess missed nursing care in LMICs and pinpoint factors connected to this issue.
Missed nursing care serves as a key predictor of hospitalization outcomes for patients. It indicates potential problems in patient care quality before they manifest as patient mortality or prolonged hospitalizations. Essentially, it functions as an early warning system for detecting potential shortcomings in patient care protocols.
Staffing shortages are higher in countries with limited healthcare resources, such as LMICs, in contrast to HICs, resulting in a more pronounced issue of missed nursing care in these nations.
Article type: Study Protocol
Title of the paper: Missed nursing care in acute care hospital settings in low-middle income countries: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Abdulazeez Imam, Sopuruchukwu Obiesie, Jalemba Aluvaala, Michuki Maina, David Gathara, and Mike English
Corresponding author e-mail: abdulimam2001@yahoo.com
DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17431.2
We’ve created a handy guide to cover everything you need to know when writing a PLS for your Wellcome Open Research submission, including more examples of Plain Language Summaries.
Submit your Wellcome-funded research today
Wellcome-funded researchers can publish their work with Wellcome Open Research at no cost to themselves, with article types available to support outputs at every stage of the journey.
Find out more about these diverse article types in our article guidelines, and submit your research for publication today.