Methods and approaches for developing plain language versions of guidelines recommendations: Scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Evidence Synthesis
• Guideline Development

Background:

• Guideline recommendations often lack clarity for end-users.
• Translating complex health information into plain language is crucial for effective implementation.
• Methodological approaches for plain language adaptation require systematic synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of methodological evidence for formulating plain language recommendations.
• To synthesize strategies for adapting guideline recommendations for both clinical practice and public health.
• To identify gaps in current evidence regarding plain language guideline development.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (Ovid) and Embase (Ovid) databases.
• Screening of guideline developer websites for relevant methodologies.
• Independent data extraction and narrative synthesis of findings.

Main Results:

• This section will report the findings of the scoping review once completed.
• The review will identify and categorize methods used in plain language recommendation formulation.
• Evidence on the effectiveness and challenges of different adaptation strategies will be presented.

Conclusions:

• This protocol details a scoping review to address the need for synthesized evidence on plain language guideline recommendations.
• The findings will inform best practices for developing accessible health guidance.
• This work will contribute to improving health literacy and guideline usability.