A survey of Paediatricians on evidence-based medical practice in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The increasing need for a uniform standard of medical practice necessitates an examination of the impediments to the use of evidencebased medicine. Objective: To examine the knowledge, perceived barriers to the use of evidence-based medicine and the associated profession-related factors among paediatricians in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of paediatricians in Nigeria was conducted between March and April 2013 by Email. The knowledge about evidence-based medicine and systematic reviews was tested using a structured questionnaire and the responses were provided on three-item Likert scale. Results: The response rate in the survey was 56.5% (65/115). Almost 37% of the participants had postgraduate qualification in or before year 1999 (Group I). Majority (93.8%) of the respondents believed that EBM should form the basis for decision making in clinical practice while 53.9% believed that EBM is more suitable for the developed world. The overall mean knowledge score was 77.6%. Knowledge about EBM was rated high among 80% of the participants and the proportion with high knowledge was not significantly associated with EBM use in routine practice or prior EBM training. Some of the perceived barriers to EBM use included lack of skills for understanding statistics (81.6%), lack of incentives for the use of EBM (64.7%), lack of time (44.6%) and lack of conclusive evidences (44.6%). Conclusion: The knowledge of EBM among Nigerian paediatricians was good but a high proportion regarded lack of skills to perform statistical analysis required for EBM as a major barrier to the practice of EBM.

Evaluation of evidence-based medicine adoption among Nigerian surgeons: competence, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers

“…In our study, 97.6% of the respondents had used EBM in their clinical practice in the past, which is consistent with previous studies of pediatricians (90.8%) and obstetricians (96.6%) in Nigeria ( 10 , 11 ). However, only 71% of our study respondents reported always/often employing EBM in their clinical practice (classified as self-identified EBM users).…”

“…In the context of Nigeria, the adoption of EBM faces unique challenges ( 10 , 11 , 13 ). For example, there are no national guidelines on EBM in Nigeria comparable to those in the UK, Croatia, or USA.…”

Is evidence‐based medicine a mirage in resource‐constrained settings? A survey among resident doctors in selected teaching hospitals in Nigeria

“…Self‐reported awareness of the EBM terms was generally high as was similarly reported among pediatricians in Nigeria 25 . Fewer respondents however, confirmed a good understanding of the terms.…”

“…Self-reported awareness of the EBM terms was generally high as was similarly reported among pediatricians in Nigeria. 25 Fewer respondents however, confirmed a good understanding of the terms. Some of the terms were poorly understood for example, heterogeneity which is an essential concept in determining the applicability of evidence to clinical practice and guideline development.…”