Effect of an evidence-based answering service on GPs and their patients: a pilot study

Objectives: For general practitioners (GPs), an important obstacle to practising evidence‐based medicine is lack of time. An evidence‐based answering service was developed that took over searching and appraisal of medical evidence from the GPs. GPs sent in questions, and the informationist formulated the answers. Our objectives were to find out if such an evidence‐based answering service was feasible, including assessing the effect of the answers on GPs and their patients, as reported by the GPs. Methods: After attending a workshop on building well‐formulated questions from daily practice, the GPs sent in questions to the informationist. The literature was searched, the relevant information was appraised, and the answers to the questions were formulated. With a questionnaire, the effect of the answers on the GP and the patient was assessed, as well as the perceived barriers to implementing the answers. Results: From 26 GPs, 61 questions were received. For 12% of questions, information was found with the highest evidence level, while for 36%, no information was found. However, for 89% of the questions for which no information could be found, the answer ‘no information found’ did have an effect on the GP concerned. In total, 81% of all the answers had an effect on the GP, and, according to the GP, 52% had an effect on the patient. Few barriers to implementing the evidence were perceived. Most of the answers were found in Pubmed/Medline, the Cochrane Library and Embase. Conclusions: This study indicates that an evidence‐based answering service can have an impact on GPs and their patients. Librarians can provide an evidence‐based answering service for GPs and their patients. The evidence‐based answering service for GPs in this study had an impact on 81% of the GPs and on 52% of their patients. Although for one‐third of the questions no evidence‐based answer was found, this message in itself had an impact on 89% of the GPs. An informationist as mediator between medical information and doctors can save doctors’ time.     

Concurrent validity of the school problem screening inventory for behavior-disordered students

This study investigated the relationship between the School Problem Screening Inventory, Fifth Edition (SPSI) and the Bristol Social Adjustment Guides (BSAG) and the WISC-R. Subjects were 43 junior high school students enrolled in residential or day-treatment programs at a treatment center for adolescents with behavior problems. The results showed the SPSI Behavior Disorder-undercontrolled and overcontrolled scores to be moderately correlated with the BSAG Overreaction and Under reaction scores, respectively. The SPSI Learning Disability and the Mental Retardation scores were found to be moderately correlated negatively with the WISC-R IQs. The findings lend support to the concurrent validity of the SPSI.     

A model for the evaluation of search queries in medical bibliographic sources

The aim of this study was to develop a model to evaluate the retrieval quality of search queries performed by Dutch general practitioners using the printed Index Medicus, MEDLINE on CD-ROM, and MEDLINE through GRATEFUL MED. Four search queries related to general practice were formulated for a continuing medical education course in literature searching. The selected potential relevant citations from the course instructor and the 103 course participants together served as the basic set for the three judges to evaluate for (a) relevance and (b) quality, with the latter based on journal ranking, research design and publication type. Relevant individual citations received a citation quality score from 1 (low) to 4 (high). The overall search quality was expressed in a formula, which included the individual citation quality score of the selected and missed relevant citations, and the number of selected non-relevant citations. The outcome measures were the number and quality of relevant citations and agreement between the judges. Out of 864 citations, 139 were assessed as relevant, of which 44 citations received an individual citation quality score of 1, 76 of 2, 19 of 3 and none of 4. The level of agreement between the judges was 68% for the relevant citations, and 88% for the non-relevant citations. We describe a model for the evaluation of search queries based not only on the relevance, but also on the quality of the citations retrieved. With adaptation, this model could be generalized to other professional users, and to other bibliographic sources.     

Students' understanding of the greenhouse effect,the societal consequences of reducing CO2 emissions and the problem of ozone layer depletion

This study is an attempt to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about students' conceptions and views concerning environmental and natural resource issues. Answers have been sought to the following questions: “How do Swedish students in grade 9 (15–16 years old) and grade 12 (18–19 years old) explain the greenhouse effect?”, “How do they think reduction of CO₂ emission would affect society?” and “How do they explain that the depletion of the ozone layer is a problem?” The method chosen to answer these questions was to give students written tasks of the open‐ended type. Five models of the greenhouse effect appear among the answers, all more or less incomplete, but nevertheless with potential for development. The students' responses also indicate that they do not fully understand what fundamental societal changes would occur as a result of a drastic reduction in CO₂ emission. On the other hand, they are rather well informed about how injurious depletion of the ozone layer is to humans. The findings are discussed, including implications for teaching. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 1096–1111, 2000     

When the atmosphere warms it rains and ice melts: seventh grade students’ conceptions of a climate system

Although many environmental and science educators have explored students’ conceptual understandings, misconceptions, and knowledge of the greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change, few have investigated the ways students conceptualize climate as a system or how components of the system influence climate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to begin the process of understanding how US students conceptualize a climate system. A total of 42 seventh grade students (ages 12–13) from the Midwest completed an open-response task. From the inductive analysis of student written responses, 22 codes emerged that reflected students’ conceptions of the climate system. From these codes, three path diagrams were constructed that illustrate these students’ conceptions about how a climate system influences climate and how greenhouse gases and global warming impact the climate system. A generalized model of students’ conception of a climate system was generated. Students in this study conceptualized a climate system in a unidirectional, linear, cause and effect relationship that emphasized the atmospheric component of the climate system.     

The National DNA Database on trial: engaging young people in South Wales with genetics

While there has been research conducted on public views about ethical and social aspects of the National DNA Database (NDNAD), there is little which focuses on views of young people, in particular those whose details are held on the NDNAD. We describe an engagement activity developed in South Wales to engage young offenders with ethical and social issues surrounding the NDNAD--a Mock Trial--and how we facilitated the presentation of their views to policy makers. We discuss the successes and challenges we encountered with engaging young offenders, decisions that the young people reached about possible future policies for the NDNAD at the Mock Trial, and their contribution to the decision-making process.