Evaluating students' research literacy knowledge, confidence, and attitudes at the beginning and end of a doctor of chiropractic program.

Abstract

Objective: The doctor of chiropractic program (DCP) graduate must demonstrate competency in clinical research literacy (CRL), per accreditation standards. This study aimed to compare student CRL knowledge, confidence, and attitudes between the beginning and end of their DCP.

Methods: We collected data on 245 matriculating students' CRL knowledge, confidence, and attitudes between 2017 and 2018. In 2021 and 2022, 78 of these students enrolled in a course with an extra credit assignment that was used to re-collect CRL data as they approached graduation. We assessed changes between entry and exit using statistical analyses in STATA17.

Results: Paired data were collected for 56 students. The mean CRL scores on a scale of 10 at the DCP beginning and end were 5.25 (SD 2.06) and 6.54 (SD 1.89), respectively (p = .0001). We observed statistically significant (p ≤ .05) positive changes in students' abilities to answer questions about Medical Subject Headings, the hierarchy of evidence, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and the limitations of abstracts. There was also a statistically significant increase in confidence, with over 80% of students nearing graduation reporting good or excellent abilities to find and judge health information for their patients. The proportion of students who envisioned searching a database to help manage a challenging clinical case decreased from 96% to 89% (p > .05). The proportion seeing themselves submitting a case report for publication declined from 16% to 4% (p ≤ .05).

Conclusion: Students' self-perceived CRL abilities and knowledge improved between the beginning and end of their DCP; however, their attitudes toward applying these in practice declined.