Abstract
Current attitudes towards Evidence based medicine (EBM) have not been explored among us. The present study is a first insight into the problem. Methods: A survey with 16 questions in a non probabilistic sample of 239 medical doctors of 24 health centers during 2003. Results: The survey was accepted by all except 2,1% of cases. A personal positive attitude towards promotion of EBM was declared by 94% assuming a 76% among the coworkers. A 94.4% considered useful the information arising from investigation. Evidence based clinical practice was estimated between 40 and 60% by 50.8% of respondents. EBM would mean a benefit to patients according to 88.9% of the sample although for 69.2% of them, an additional burden. The way to evidence based practice was chosen to be clinical guidelines developed by experts though feeling that the best choice would be the adquisition of personal skills to critical appraisal of medical literature. Internet databases search during the month before varied between 0 and 40 with median in 2. All cases in the sample had access to Internet. Technical English was considered well managed by 41.5% A similar proportion had assisted at least to one course about EBM. A clear concept about 13 EBM items was found to vary from 18.7% to 62.6%. Less than 35% declared to manage well 9 of 13 concepts commonly associated to EBM. Six o more years of experience as medical doctors showed 54.3% of cases, being 25 to 39 years old 83.3%. Conclusions: 1.- Formal EBM training should be part of medical syllabus wherever is not. 2.-An important task will be to preserve an independent and informed personal criteria in the issues of interest when authorities deliver clinical guidelines or systematic reviews not necesarily according to accepted methodology. 3.-The surveyed subjects considered personal analysis and study of the different issues of interest as the appropiate way to EBM. 4.-The need for increase skill in management of technical English appeared evident in the group of study. Also important resulted to find all medical doctors having access to Internet.
Keywords: Evidence based medicine, EBM, survey |
