Table 2 Descriptive statistics on healthcare providers' individual characteristics, working context, and views about and use of research evidence
Factor | All N = 372 | Ghana N = 107 | Laos N = 136 | Senegal N = 51 | Tanzania N = 75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Individual characteristics | |||||
Age, yr, mean | 42.0 | 43.0 | 40.7 | 38.9 | 45.5 |
Sex, male | 55.9 | 59.8 | 41.2 | 45.1 | 84.9 |
Type of health care provider | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
General practitioner | 67.2% | 53.8% | 86.6% | 29.4% | 77.8% |
Specialist physician | 5.8% | 10.4% | 4.5% | 5.9% | 1.4% |
Nurse | 15.7% | 31.1% | 2.2% | 37.3% | 2.8% |
Health worker | 6.6% | 2.8% | 5.2% | 17.6% | 6.9% |
Other | 4.7% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
Allocation of time, % of time†| |||||
Clinical practice | 59.0% | 71.0% | 65.0% | 63.6% | 28.4% |
Research | 7.7% | 7.6% | 6.4% | 15.8% | 4.8% |
Teaching | 10.3% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 6.6% | 14.4% |
Administration | 18.2% | 9.2% | 12.8% | 8.5% | 47.2% |
Master's or doctorate degree | 15.1% | 15.0% | 8.1% | 7.8% | 32.1% |
Training (since completed last degree) in: | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Acquiring systematic reviews through the Cochrane Library | 8.3% | 12.1% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 19.4% |
Critically appraising systematic reviews | 10.8% | 16.8% | 3.7% | 6.3% | 33.3% |
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) | 34.9% | 43.3% | 14.0% | 39.2% | 72.9% |
Prevention of malaria | 44.6% | 39.2% | 30.9% | 74.5% | 65.1% |
Easy access to personal computer with CD ROM | 24.3% | 22.6% | 7.5% | 31.4% | 56.3% |
Easy access to Internet | 21.7% | 21.8% | 6.7% | 43.1% | 35.9% |
Able to read and write English well or very well | 63.3% | 97.2% | 19.3% | 56.9% | 100% |
Working context§ |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating authority of facility or practice | |||||
Government | 86.3% | 59.8% | 100% | 92.2% | 95.8% |
Nongovernmental organization | 14.5% | 26.2% | 4.4% | 7.8% | 21.1% |
For-profit organization | 9.6% | 23.4% | 0.7% | 0% | 12.7% |
Type of facility or practice | |||||
Solo or individual practice | 13.7% | 13.1% | 9.6% | 15.7% | 21.4% |
Group practice | 33.2% | 22.4% | 53.7% | 0% | 34.3% |
Hospital | 81.6% | 79.4% | 93.4% | 51.0% | 84.3% |
Community health centre | 25.0% | 20.6% | 0.7% | 56.9% | 55.7% |
Location of facility or practice | |||||
Urban | 16.0% | 4.7% | 2.4% | 31.4% | 44.6% |
Rural | 55.7% | 69.8% | 60.3% | 52.9% | 29.7% |
Mixed | 40.6% | 32.1% | 45.2% | 23.5% | 56.8% |
Facility had insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) available | 58.5% | 64.5% | 38.5% | 54.9% | 89.0% |
Views and activities related to improving clinical practice | |||||
Research performed in their own country is of above average or excellent quality | 47.8% | 57.3% | 28.2% | 39.2% | 75.3% |
Trust somewhat or completely a systematic review of randomized controlled double-blind trials | 55.5% | 58.7% | 48.1% | 47.1% | 72.6% |
Working with researchers or research groups to improve clinical practice or the quality of working life | 43.9% | 40.6% | 41.0% | 27.5% | 66.2% |
Higher quality of available research is important or very important to improve their work | 92.6% | 86.0% | 99.3% | 98.0% | 86.3% |
Used or read particular sources of evidence | |||||
Clinical practice guidelines, protocols or decision-support tools | 59.4% | 65.7% | 47.7% | 51.0% | 80.0% |
Cochrane Library | 11.1% | 20.4% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 9.5% |
Scientific journals from high-income countries | 35.9% | 55.9% | 15.6% | 29.4% | 50.0% |
Scientific journals from own country | 55.1% | 53.6% | 64.9% | 17.6% | 67.2% |
Summaries of articles, reports, and reviews from public and not-for-profit health organizations | 56.9% | 64.1% | 36.4% | 78.4% | 69.2% |