Christine Stiller, Lindsay Brandt, Megan Adams, Nathan Gura
Improving the Readability of Patient Education Materials in Physical Therapy
Cureus
appropriate medication prescribing may influenced prescribers ability understand interpret medical research objective review synthesize research related prescribers critical appraisal knowledge skillsdefined understanding statistical methods biases studies relevance validity evidence searched pubmed databases january 1990 september 2015 two reviewers independently screened selected studies design conducted united states united kingdom canada involved prescribers objectively measured critical appraisal knowledge skills understanding attitudes prescribing behaviors data narratively synthesized screened 1204 abstracts 72 fulltext articles included 29 studies study populations included physicians physicians extant knowledge skills low middle possible score ranges demonstrated modest increases response interventions physicians formal education epidemiology biostatistics research demonstrated higher levels knowledge skills hypothetical scenarios presenting equivalent effect sizes use relative effect measures associated greater perceptions medication effectiveness intent prescribe compared use absolute effect measures evidence limited convenience samples study designs limit internal validity critical appraisal knowledge skills limited among physicians effect measure used influence perceptions treatment effectiveness intent prescribe critical appraisal knowledge skills fit among myriad influences prescribing behavior known