Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Systematic reviews provide critical exploration, evaluation, and synthesis of the unmanageable amount of information; and separate the insignificant, unsound, or redundant deadwood in the medical literature from the salient and critical studies that are worthy of reflection. They have been regarded as the highest quality of evidence for clinical practice.
Objectives: The National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan provided a series of education for postgraduate health professionals to learn how to conduct systematic reviews. The curricula of the two-day workshop included training on how to perform meta-analysis using RevMan 5. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of this training program.
Methods: A pre- and post-survey of participants was carried out to examine views related to systematic reviews including changes in beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills, and perceived barriers.
Results: The participants' professions included: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and public health experts. After educational training, participants' knowledge and skill in the production of systematic reviews significantly increased (P < 0.001). They were more likely to believe that systematic reviews can improve the quality of patient care (p < 0.001), and thus to support the implementation of systematic reviews (p < 0.001). The prevalence of perceived barriers to produce systematic reviews also declined (p < 0.001). In addition, the most common barrier to meta-analysis was lacking English language skills.
Conclusions: The belief, attitude, knowledge, and skill in relation to systematic reviews were improved after the training program. This suggests that education is useful in disseminating systematic reviews.
Objectives: The National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan provided a series of education for postgraduate health professionals to learn how to conduct systematic reviews. The curricula of the two-day workshop included training on how to perform meta-analysis using RevMan 5. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of this training program.
Methods: A pre- and post-survey of participants was carried out to examine views related to systematic reviews including changes in beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills, and perceived barriers.
Results: The participants' professions included: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and public health experts. After educational training, participants' knowledge and skill in the production of systematic reviews significantly increased (P < 0.001). They were more likely to believe that systematic reviews can improve the quality of patient care (p < 0.001), and thus to support the implementation of systematic reviews (p < 0.001). The prevalence of perceived barriers to produce systematic reviews also declined (p < 0.001). In addition, the most common barrier to meta-analysis was lacking English language skills.
Conclusions: The belief, attitude, knowledge, and skill in relation to systematic reviews were improved after the training program. This suggests that education is useful in disseminating systematic reviews.