Evidence needs, training demands, and opportunities for knowledge translation in social security and insurance medicine: A European survey

Regina Kunz, Adrian Verbel, Rebecca Weida-Cuignet, Jan L. Hoving, Susanne Weinbrenner, Emilie Friberg, Andreas Klipstein, Christiaan Van Haecht, Ilona Autti-Rämö, Nadine Agosti, Sergio Vargas-Prada, Robert Kneepkens, Gert Lindenger, Wout de Boer, Frederieke G. Schaafsma

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To perform a European survey of the evidence needs and training demands of insurance medicine professionals related to professional tasks and evidence-based practice. DESIGN: International survey. SUBJECTS: Professionals working in insurance medicine. METHODS: Experts designed an online questionnaire including 26 questions related to 4 themes: evidence needs; training demands; evidence-seeking behaviour; and attitudes towards evidence-based medicine. Descriptive statistics were presented by country/conference and the total sample. RESULTS: A total of 782 participants responded. Three-quarter of participants experienced evidence needs at least once a week, related to mental disorders (79%), musculoskeletal disorders (67%) and occupational health (65%). Guidelines (76%) and systematic reviews (60%) were the preferred types of evidence and were requested for assessment of work capacity (64%) and prognosis of return-to-work (51%). Evidence-based medicine was thought to facilitate decision-making in insurance medicine (95%). Fifty-two percent of participants felt comfortable finding, reading, interpreting, and applying evidence. Countries expressed similar needs for reviews on typical topics. CONCLUSION: This study reveals evidence gaps in key areas of insurance medicine, supporting the need for further research, guidelines and training in evidence-based insurance medicine. Importantly, insurance medicine professionals should recognize that evidence-based practice is crucial in producing high-quality assessments.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)jrm00179
JournalJournal of rehabilitation medicine
Volume53
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Apr 2021

Keywords

  • disability evaluation
  • evidence-based practice
  • guidelines
  • quality assurance
  • return to work
  • social security
  • surveys and questionnaires

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