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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Evidence Based Health Care: Where is the Evidence?

Parkin, Claire (2003) Evaluating the Effectiveness of Evidence Based Health Care: Where is the Evidence? In: 3rd International Conference of Evidence-Based Health Care Teachers & Developers Building bridges between research and teaching. . (Unpublished) (doi:Abstract 27) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:57064)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://www.ebhc.org/previous_editions/2005/EBHC_20...

Abstract

Background: Credible evidence for the effectiveness of evidence-based health care training to

improve learner, patient and health system outcomes is essential for guiding, assessing, and

funding interventions.

Aims: To provide an overview of existing evaluation research on the effectiveness of EBHC

training, its limitations, and the knowledge gaps in need of further investigation.

Methods: To answer the question” How do we know that EBHC training makes a difference?” we

searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE and CINAHL with relevant MESH terms. Outcomes

included knowledge, skill, attitude, practice, judgment, competence, decision-making, patient

satisfaction, quality of life, clinical indicators, or cost. Selections limited to systematic reviews,

randomized controlled trials and pre/post studies published in any language. Retrieved articles

were critically appraised for validity prior to inclusion.

Results: Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria: 5 systematic reviews, 4 randomized controlled

trials and 6 pre/post studies. There is modest evidence from systematic reviews and controlled

trials that undergraduate EBHC training improves knowledge but not skills and that clinicallyintegrated

post-graduate teaching improves both knowledge and skills. Two controlled trials

reported no impact on attitudes or behavior. One pre/post study found a positive impact on

decision making, while another suggested change in learner's behavior and improved patient

outcome. We found no studies assessing EBHC training for patient satisfaction, health-related

quality of life, cost, or population-level indicators of health.

Conclusion: Most of the literature evaluating the effectiveness of EBHC training has focused on

short-term acquisition of knowledge and skills. There is an urgent need for evaluation research

that provides solid evidence on the effect of EBHC training on learner's behavior, long-term

retention of acquired knowledge and skills, patient satisfaction, health and quality of life, and

health system outcomes.

Item Type: Conference or workshop item (Lecture)
DOI/Identification number: Abstract 27
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Directorate of Education > School of Education
Depositing User: Claire Parkin
Date Deposited: 02 Sep 2016 10:50 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:23 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/57064 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Parkin, Claire.

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