title: Endorsement of the CONSORT statement by Chinese journals of Traditional Chinese Medicine: a survey of journal editors and review of journals' instructions for authors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to assess the endorsement of the Consolidation Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement by Chinese journals of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its incorporation into their editorial processes.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, Embase and major Chinese databases were searched to identify journals of TCM from China for inclusion. The latest 'instruction for authors' (IFA) of each included journal was obtained and any text mentioning CONSORT or CONSORT extension papers was extracted. Subsequently, the editor of each of the included journals was surveyed about their journal's endorsement of the CONSORT recommendations and their incorporation into editorial and peer review processes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-three journals of TCM from China were examined. Of these, only three (5%) and one (2%) of the 63 journals mentioned the CONSORT statement and extension papers, respectively, in their IFA. Fifty-four of 63 (86%) of surveyed journals responded, with the majority of respondents being editors. Only 20% (11/54) of the respondents reported that they had any knowledge of the CONSORT statement. Only 6% (3/54) of the editors reported that they required authors to comply with the CONSORT statement or that they incorporated it into their peer review and editorial processes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCM journals in China endorsing the CONSORT statement constituted a small percentage of the total. The majority of editors surveyed were not familiar with the content of the CONSORT statement and extension papers. We strongly recommend that the China Periodicals Association issue a policy to promote the endorsement of the CONSORT statement and conduct relevant training for journal editors in China.
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China The Frist School of Clinical Medicine of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fa-Yong
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China The Frist School of Clinical Medicine of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Er-Liang
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China The Frist School of Clinical Medicine of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zun-Xian
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China The Frist School of Clinical Medicine of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Nan
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China The Frist School of Clinical Medicine of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D035081:Editorial Policies; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D018156:Journalism, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING; STATISTICS & RESEARCH METHODS