Table 1 Glossary provided to authors and reviewers

Societal impact

The use of a research publication in a non-scientific area relevant to the society (e.g. in mass media reports, policies, guidelines).

Societal impact factor

Measure to quantify the societal impact.

Publication

Scientific publications in journals with or without scientific impact factor and research-based publications in other media.

Publication aim

Aim to increase knowledge, to apply knowledge and/or to increase awareness.

Translation

Any efforts to make research results applicable to the population (e.g., press conference, mass media report, educative event).

Accomplishment (of translation)

An end-point, or more frequently a milestone, at which activities to translate research results receive physical uptake/implementation in an intervention, treatment, policy, or other health-related non-scientific application.

When assessing the accomplishment of translation of research results into practice reality, it is relevant whether

   • the implementation was realized at the regional, national or international level,

   • the implementation reached a preliminary/pilot or permanent status

   • the implementation targeted at the individual patient case level, at a specified group of the population, or at the total population/society