What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.

<h4>Background</h4>Evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) knowledge and skills are recognised as core competencies of healthcare professionals worldwide, and teaching EBHC has been widely recommended as an integral part of their training. The objective of this overview of systematic reviews (S...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Malgorzata M Bala, Tina Poklepović Peričić, Joanna Zajac, Anke Rohwer, Jitka Klugarova, Maritta Välimäki, Tella Lantta, Luca Pingani, Miloslav Klugar, Mike Clarke, Taryn Young
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0254191&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849337437340303360
author Malgorzata M Bala
Tina Poklepović Peričić
Joanna Zajac
Anke Rohwer
Jitka Klugarova
Maritta Välimäki
Tella Lantta
Luca Pingani
Miloslav Klugar
Mike Clarke
Taryn Young
author_facet Malgorzata M Bala
Tina Poklepović Peričić
Joanna Zajac
Anke Rohwer
Jitka Klugarova
Maritta Välimäki
Tella Lantta
Luca Pingani
Miloslav Klugar
Mike Clarke
Taryn Young
author_sort Malgorzata M Bala
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) knowledge and skills are recognised as core competencies of healthcare professionals worldwide, and teaching EBHC has been widely recommended as an integral part of their training. The objective of this overview of systematic reviews (SR) was to update evidence and assess the effects of various approaches for teaching evidence-based health care (EBHC) at undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical education (ME) level on changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>This is an update of an overview that was published in 2014. The process followed standard procedures specified for the previous version of the overview, with a modified search. Searches were conducted in Epistemonikos for SRs published from 1 January 2013 to 27 October 2020 with no language restrictions. We checked additional sources for ongoing and unpublished SRs. Eligibility criteria included: SRs which evaluated educational interventions for teaching EBHC compared to no intervention or a different strategy were eligible. Two reviewers independently selected SRs, extracted data and evaluated quality using standardised instrument (AMSTAR2). The effects of strategies to teach EBHC were synthesized using a narrative approach. Previously published version of this overview included 16 SR, while the updated search identified six additional SRs. We therefore included a total of 22 SRs (with a total of 141 primary studies) in this updated overview. The SRs evaluated different educational interventions of varying duration, frequency, and format to teach various components of EBHC at different levels of ME (UG, PG, mixed). Most SRs assessed a range of EBHC related outcomes using a variety of assessment tools. Two SRs included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) only, while 20 reviews included RCTs and various types of non-RCTs. Diversity of study designs and teaching activities as well as aggregated findings at the SR level prevented comparisons of the effects of different techniques. In general, knowledge was improved across all ME levels for interventions compared to no intervention or pre-test scores. Skills improved in UGs, but less so in PGs and were less consistent in mixed populations. There were positive changes in behaviour among UGs and PGs, but not in mixed populations, with no consistent improvement in attitudes in any of the studied groups. One SR showed improved patient outcomes (based on non-randomised studies). Main limitations included: poor quality and reporting of SRs, heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures, and short-term follow up.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Teaching EBHC consistently improved EBHC knowledge and skills at all levels of ME and behaviour in UGs and PGs, but with no consistent improvement in attitudes towards EBHC, and little evidence of the long term influence on processes of care and patient outcomes. EBHC teaching and learning should be interactive, multifaceted, integrated into clinical practice, and should include assessments.<h4>Study registration</h4>The protocol for the original overview was developed and approved by Stellenbosch University Research Ethics Committee S12/10/262.<h4>Update of the overview</h4>Young T, Rohwer A, Volmink J, Clarke M. What are the effects of teaching evidence-based health care (EBHC)? Overview of systematic reviews. PLoS One. 2014;9(1):e86706. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086706.
format Article
id doaj-art-9d3376c609d842659e0188ea7e2806ed
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-9d3376c609d842659e0188ea7e2806ed2025-08-20T03:44:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01167e025419110.1371/journal.pone.0254191What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.Malgorzata M BalaTina Poklepović PeričićJoanna ZajacAnke RohwerJitka KlugarovaMaritta VälimäkiTella LanttaLuca PinganiMiloslav KlugarMike ClarkeTaryn Young<h4>Background</h4>Evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) knowledge and skills are recognised as core competencies of healthcare professionals worldwide, and teaching EBHC has been widely recommended as an integral part of their training. The objective of this overview of systematic reviews (SR) was to update evidence and assess the effects of various approaches for teaching evidence-based health care (EBHC) at undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical education (ME) level on changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>This is an update of an overview that was published in 2014. The process followed standard procedures specified for the previous version of the overview, with a modified search. Searches were conducted in Epistemonikos for SRs published from 1 January 2013 to 27 October 2020 with no language restrictions. We checked additional sources for ongoing and unpublished SRs. Eligibility criteria included: SRs which evaluated educational interventions for teaching EBHC compared to no intervention or a different strategy were eligible. Two reviewers independently selected SRs, extracted data and evaluated quality using standardised instrument (AMSTAR2). The effects of strategies to teach EBHC were synthesized using a narrative approach. Previously published version of this overview included 16 SR, while the updated search identified six additional SRs. We therefore included a total of 22 SRs (with a total of 141 primary studies) in this updated overview. The SRs evaluated different educational interventions of varying duration, frequency, and format to teach various components of EBHC at different levels of ME (UG, PG, mixed). Most SRs assessed a range of EBHC related outcomes using a variety of assessment tools. Two SRs included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) only, while 20 reviews included RCTs and various types of non-RCTs. Diversity of study designs and teaching activities as well as aggregated findings at the SR level prevented comparisons of the effects of different techniques. In general, knowledge was improved across all ME levels for interventions compared to no intervention or pre-test scores. Skills improved in UGs, but less so in PGs and were less consistent in mixed populations. There were positive changes in behaviour among UGs and PGs, but not in mixed populations, with no consistent improvement in attitudes in any of the studied groups. One SR showed improved patient outcomes (based on non-randomised studies). Main limitations included: poor quality and reporting of SRs, heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures, and short-term follow up.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Teaching EBHC consistently improved EBHC knowledge and skills at all levels of ME and behaviour in UGs and PGs, but with no consistent improvement in attitudes towards EBHC, and little evidence of the long term influence on processes of care and patient outcomes. EBHC teaching and learning should be interactive, multifaceted, integrated into clinical practice, and should include assessments.<h4>Study registration</h4>The protocol for the original overview was developed and approved by Stellenbosch University Research Ethics Committee S12/10/262.<h4>Update of the overview</h4>Young T, Rohwer A, Volmink J, Clarke M. What are the effects of teaching evidence-based health care (EBHC)? Overview of systematic reviews. PLoS One. 2014;9(1):e86706. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086706.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0254191&type=printable
spellingShingle Malgorzata M Bala
Tina Poklepović Peričić
Joanna Zajac
Anke Rohwer
Jitka Klugarova
Maritta Välimäki
Tella Lantta
Luca Pingani
Miloslav Klugar
Mike Clarke
Taryn Young
What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
PLoS ONE
title What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
title_full What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
title_fullStr What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
title_full_unstemmed What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
title_short What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews.
title_sort what are the effects of teaching evidence based health care ebhc at different levels of health professions education an updated overview of systematic reviews
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0254191&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT malgorzatambala whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT tinapoklepovicpericic whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT joannazajac whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT ankerohwer whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT jitkaklugarova whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT marittavalimaki whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT tellalantta whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT lucapingani whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT miloslavklugar whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT mikeclarke whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews
AT tarynyoung whataretheeffectsofteachingevidencebasedhealthcareebhcatdifferentlevelsofhealthprofessionseducationanupdatedoverviewofsystematicreviews