EVALUATION OF STATISTICAL ILLITERACY IN LATIN AMERICAN CLINICIANS AND OF THE EFFICACY OF A 10-HOUR COURSE

Abstract

Introduction All medics require statistical interpretation skills to keep up to date with the scientific advances and evidence-based recommendations of their specific field. However, statistical illiteracy among clinicians is a highly prevalent problem with far-reaching consequences. The few available studies that report statistical literacy improvements after educational interventions do not report for how long these benefits last. We measured for the first-time statistical proficiency among Latin-American clinicians with different levels of training and evaluated the efficacy of a 10-hour course at multiple timepoints. Methods Using an online questionnaire, we evaluated self-perceived statistical proficiency, scientific literature reading habits and statistical literacy (using an adaptation of the Quick Risk Test) across multiple levels of medical training. Separately, we evaluated statistical proficiency among Internal Medicine residents at a tertiary centre in Mexico City immediately before, immediately after and one and two months after a 10-hour statistics course using the same adaptation (allowing for I don t know answers) of the Quick Risk Test. Scores across multiple time points were compared using Friedman s Test. Results Data from 392 clinicians from 9 Latin American countries were analyzed. Most clinicians (85%) failed our adaptation of the Quick Risk Test (mean score = 2.6/10, IQR:1.4). The 10-hour course significantly improved the scores of the Internal Medicine Residents (n=16) from 3.8/10, IQR:1.8 to 8.3/10, IQR:1.4 (p<0.01). However, scores dropped after one and two months to 7.7/10, IQR:1.6 and 6.1 / 10, IQR:2.2, respectively. Conclusions Statistical Illiteracy is highly prevalent among Latin American clinicians. Short-term educational interventions are effective but, their benefits quickly fade away if they are not periodically reinforced. Medical boards and Medical schools need to periodically teach and evaluate statistical proficiency to ameliorate these issues.