Results published for largest-ever medical communications study

Back in 2023, the Psoriasis Association helped with recruitment for the CICERO study – a project that recognised the need for clear, honest information to help people make decisions about their health.

CICERO is now the largest-ever randomised controlled exploration into how best to communicate benefits and harms associated with competing medical treatments, and the results of the research have been officially published.

How did the CICERO study work?

An online trial was designed to place people randomly into one of three groups, where they took part in a variety of fictional scenarios making decisions for their health.

Researchers compared three ways of showing the same information about made-up treatments for social anxiety to see which approach helped people feel more certain about their choices:

• Text only
• Text with a simple graphic
• Text with a more detailed graphic

2,178 members of the public aged 18 to 65 took part between June and November 2023. The study measured how unsure or conflicted people felt when making their choice, and whether the information provided was interpreted correctly.

What were the main findings?

1. Graphics helped - People who saw information with both text and graphics felt more confident in their decisions than those who saw text only. The more detailed graphic led to the greatest improvement, with the simpler graphic also helping.

2. The benefits varied between individuals - Factors such as reading and number skills, personal experience with the condition, ethnic background, gender, and age all played a role.

   Overall, the study concluded that using a mix of words, numbers, and clear graphics can make complex information easier to understand, helping people feel more confident when choosing between treatments.

What happens next?

The researchers on the CICERO study have recommended that:

• Organisations sharing health information should consider using both clear text and simple, easy-to-understand graphics.
• Information about treatment side effects and their likelihood of occurrence can be complicated, but should not be left out. Instead of oversimplifying or watering down the information, people should be given clear tools and explanations to help them understand more easily.
• People designing decision tools should test them with a wide range of users and consider differences in reading skills, comfort with numbers, and personal experience.

The trial used made-up treatments and was completed in one sitting online: real-life decisions include other factors that can vary from person to person. To find out more about the study, you can read the full research paper online.

Our commitment to furthering research

We were more than happy to help with recruitment for the study – thank you to everyone who participated and helped to drive progress towards this important milestone!

Our goal is to better understand what causes psoriasis, improve how it’s treated and managed, and ultimately find a cure.

To find out more, visit the research section of our website or take a look at our 2025-2030 research strategy.