Mariyamma Philip
Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars' knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework
BMC medical education
background educational meetings widely used continuing medical education previous reviews found interactive workshops resulted moderately large improvements professional practice whereas didactic sessions objectives assess effects educational meetings professional practice healthcare outcomes search methods updated previous searches searching cochrane effective practice organisation care group trials register pending file 1999 march 2006 selection criteria randomised controlled trials educational meetings reported objective measure professional practice healthcare outcomes data collection analysis two authors independently extracted data assessed study quality studies low moderate risk bias reported baseline data included primary analysis weighted according number health professionals participating comparison calculated risk difference rd dichotomous outcomes adjusted baseline compliance continuous outcomes percentage change relative control group average intervention adjusted baseline performance professional patient outcomes analysed separately considered 10 factors explain heterogeneity effect estimates using weighted metaregression supplemented visual analysis bubble box plots main results updating review 49 new studies identified inclusion total 81 trials involving 11000 health professionals included review based 30 trials 36 comparisons median adjusted rd compliance desired practice 6 interquartile range 18 159 intervention educational meetings component compared intervention educational meetings alone similar effects median adjusted rd 6 interquartile range 29 153 based 21 comparisons 19 trials continuous outcomes median adjusted percentage change relative control 10 interquartile range 8 32 5 trials patient outcomes median adjusted rd achievement treatment goals 30 interquartile range 01 40 5 trials based univariate metaregression analyses 36 comparisons dichotomous outcomes professional practice higher attendance educational meetings associated larger adjusted rds p 001 mixed interactive didactic education meetings median adjusted rd 136 effective either didactic meetings rd 69 interactive meetings rd 30 educational meetings appear effective complex behaviours adjusted rd 03 compared less complex behaviours appeared less effective less serious outcomes rd 29 serious outcomes authors conclusions educational meetings alone combined interventions improve professional practice healthcare outcomes patients effect likely small similar types continuing medical education audit feedback educational outreach visits strategies increase attendance educational meetings using mixed interactive didactic formats focusing outcomes likely perceived serious may increase effectiveness educational meetings educational meetings alone likely effective changing complex behaviours