Randomised controlled trial of optimal press release wording on health-related news coverage

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Not Applicable; Misrepresentation and exaggeration of findings from health-related research in press releases and news coverage.

• Registration Number: ISRCTN10492618
• Lead Sponsor: Cardiff University

Brief Summary

2019 results in: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31092248 (added 17/05/2019)

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2015-08-20
• Study Completion: 2016-11-30
• Last Update Posted: 27 May 2019

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 624

Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion criteria for press releases:
1. Involves empirical, peer-reviewed research that is directly relevant to human health. Empirical evidence to include surveys, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and case studies.

Inclusion criteria for press officers (from any of the following):
1. British university for topics related to human health e.g. clinical medicine, psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience, public health, health services and primary care
2. British research councils
3. British-based academic journals
4. British charities

Exclusion Criteria

Exclusion criteria for press releases:
1. Involves empirical, peer-reviewed research that is not directly relevant to human health (e.g. climate change research, astronomy, palaeontology).
2. Do not involve empirical, peer-reviewed research
3. Related to future research
4. Related to grant funding
5. Related to literature reviews, opinion pieces, editorials or commentary

Exclusion criteria for Press Officers:
1. Those from non-UK press offices
2. Those from private/corporate press offices

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified