It has been shown by research that even though a lot of progress has been done on correcting problems with consent forms so that people can make informred decisions correctly and understand what it is they are being asked to decide on, there are still a lot of issues and people who read consent forms only understand, if at all, only portions of the information given, thus carrying a lot of problems later on. Because of this, researchers set on to discover the factors that might make it easier for people to not only listen to, but also understand and retain the information given to them in a consent form. In 2013, this research paper published in the JAMA Pediatrics of 2013 mentioned these factors that were discovered and that if used correctly and in conjunction, would ensure better understanding and better decision making when using consent forms. The first was the level of literacy of the reader of the consent form (parent with a study level of 8th vs 12th grade). Second, the extension of the information displayed in the form as people tend to disregard information after a certain limit of words has been reached. Also, the format that is used will affect the easiness with which a person may read and his/her brain may retain information. The use of verbal extra information also was proven to help in improving message comprehension and retaining with consent forms and finally, the use of graphics. These were the factors that were discussed in this research paper and which have been used to improve the use particularly of consent forms in pediatrics procedures and clinical trials.
