KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Publishers should refine the development and distribution of plain language summaries of publication (PLSPs) to increase discoverability and accessibility for patients, thus increasing engagement.
• Involving patients in PLSP writing and peer review could increase awareness of PLSPs and improve their reach.

For patients seeking to understand their medical condition, deciphering complex scientific articles can feel like trying to read another language. To bridge this gap between ‘technical jargon’ and the needs of patients and the public, multiple publishers now offer plain language summaries of publication (PLSPs) – standalone peer reviewed articles that ‘translate’ a scientific paper for the non-specialist audience. However, PLSPs are only useful if they are read. In a recent article for the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA)’s Medical Writing journal, authors from publisher Taylor & Francis looked at the current level of patient engagement with PLSPs and what could be done to increase this.

How discoverable are PLSPs?

There are inherent challenges in trying to ensure that PLSPs are discoverable and accessible to patients, given that they are published in journals usually only read by expert audiences. For instance, the authors highlighted the following findings from a 2023 survey:

• Most patients discover PLSPs via Google (41%) vs PubMed (12%).
• Fear of misinformation means patients tend to trust personal recommendations or social media: 30% of patients find PLSPs via these routes.

In this context, it can be difficult for patients to even be aware of PLSPs. The authors suggest that publishers could make PLSPs more accessible and discoverable, and thus increase patient engagement, by:

• improving search engine optimisation (SEO) of PLSPs for traditional search engines, like Google
• distributing PLSPs to patient advocacy groups
• clearly providing multi-language translations of PLSPs to reach global patient audiences.

Integrate patients in PLSP development

Importantly, publishers can include patients in the process of PLSP development by:

• inviting patients to act as authors of PLSPs
• involving patients and caregivers in the peer review process.

This approach is supported by publishers and patients alike. As the publication of PLSPs grows in popularity, it is important that publishers nurture patient engagement at every stage of PLSP development.

As the publication of PLSPs grows in popularity, it is important that publishers nurture patient engagement at every stage of PLSP development.

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