Data from: The effect of promoting current local research activities on large monitors on the population’s interest in health-related research – a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were threefold: to estimate
people’s interest in health-related research, to understand to what extent
people appreciate being actively informed about current local
health-related research and to investigate whether their interest can be
influenced by advertising local current health-related research using
large TV monitors. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial using a stepped
wedge design. SETTING: The emergency department waiting room at two public
hospitals in northern Queensland, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Waiting
patients and their accompanying friends and relatives in the emergency
department waiting room not requiring immediate medical attention.
INTERVENTIONS: A TV monitor advertising local current health-related
research. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratio for the effect of intervention
on changing the interest in health-related research compared to a control
group while adjusting for gender, age and socioeconomic standard. RESULTS:
The intervention significantly increased the short-term interest in
health-related research with an odds ratio of 1.3 (1.1-1.7, p=0.0063). We
also noted that being female and being older was correlated to a higher
interest in health-related research CONCLUSIONS: This study found that
proactive information significantly increased the general populations’
interest in health-related research. There are reasonable set up costs
involved but the costs for maintaining the system were very low. Hence, it
seems reasonable that research-active organizations should give much
higher priority to this type of activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian
New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) with the registration number
ACTRN12617001085369