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Health scientists use several science communication (SC) strategies in the digital and social media ecosystem to change the people’s health-related attitude. Informing the public about health-related findings helps them make lucid decisions about health.

Fontaine G and team conducted a study following the framework of Joanna Briggs Institute Methodological. The study aimed to examine the extent, range, and nature of the evidence regarding SC initiated by the health scientists in digital and social media ecosystem.

The study included any type of literature published in English or French, between the year 2000 and 2018. Data regarding the health scientist, the public, and the communication channels were described.

Overall 960 publications were identified, among those 18 publications has described the process of SC through digital and social media ecosystem. About 75 unique SC strategies were identified, which were used by the health scientists.

These strategies were grouped as into 9 types: content, credibility, engagement, intention, linguistics, planification, presentation, social exchange, and statistics. Social networking platforms, content-sharing platforms, digital research communities, personal blogs, websites, social news aggregation and discussion platforms were used as communication channels.

The study concluded that health scientists use several types of SC strategies and communication channels to improve people’s attitude towards health. However, further is required to examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the SC strategies used to improve public health-related outcomes through digital and social-media ecosystem.

Reference:

Fontaine G, Maheu-Cadotte MA, Lavallée A, Mailhot T, Rouleau G, Bouix-Picasso J, Bourbonnais A. Communicating Science in the Digital and Social Media Ecosystem: Scoping Review and Typology of Strategies Used by Health Scientists.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2019 Sep 3;5(3)

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Professional medical writing system – An approach to ensure a high standard clinical study publication

Posted on September 12, 2019May 15, 2020

medical writing training icme — Professional medical writers with scientific knowledge

Background

Professional medical writing system (PMWS) comprises of skilled writers with scientific knowledge, who can improve the standards of a clinical trial report. PMWS positively improve the quality of a clinical trial report and the timeline of the publication.

The authors worldwide prefer skilled medical writers to prepare clinical report. Medical Writer is an expert in developing an effective document that clearly defines research results and product usage.

A study was conducted recently to evaluate the connection between the PMWS and the quality, ethics, and the timeliness of publication reporting clinical researches.

Methodology

A systemic literature review was done to identify published studies regarding medical writing. The search strategy included several terms related to medical writing and communication. Additionally, the search strategy also included terms, such as observational, cross-sectional or epidemiological studies, without any limits on a date, language or country.

Abstract, posters from meetings of the International society for medical publications professional and the bibliographies of studies noticed in the electronic searches were also reviewed to determine additional relevant references.

As per the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines the identified studies were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Overall, 97 relevant studies were identified after excluding 89 studies during screening and full paper review. In the remaining eight studies, a comparison was made between 849 publications with PMWS and 2073 articles without PMWS. Increased compliance to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting

Trials (CONSORT) guidelines, publication in journals with an impact factor, excellent quality of language, and a very less reporting of non-pre-specified outcomes was seen in the articles developed with PMWS.

The study concluded that the clinical and academic professionals seek the support of PMWS to ensure the ethics, accuracy, and timely publication of the clinical studies.

Reference:Evuarherhe O, Gattrell W, White R, Winchester CC. Professional medical writing support and the quality, ethics and timeliness of clinical trial reporting: a systematic review. Res Integr Peer Rev. 2019 Jul 10;4:14.