Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39388234›Full record

SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2024

Spaced Digital Education for Health Professionals: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Laura Martinengo, Matthew Song Peng Ng, Tony De Rong Ng, Yi-Ian Ang, Ahmad Ishqi Jabir, Bhone Myint Kyaw, Lorainne Tudor Car

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Network-Based Asynchronous Research Training in Breast Imaging: A Multinational Pre-Post Evaluation for Cancer Education.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Laura MartinengoLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-3539-7207
Matthew Song Peng NgYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-7282-9243
Tony De Rong NgYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0001-1171-643X
Yi-Ian AngYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0005-2553-3529
Ahmad Ishqi JabirLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-6864-9867
Bhone Myint KyawNanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-1750-0330
Lorainne Tudor CarLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-8414-7664

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpaced digital education applies digital tools to deliver educational content via multiple, repeated learning sessions separated by prespecified time intervals. Spaced digital education appears to promote acquisition and long-term retention of knowledge, skills, and change in clinical behavior.

objectiveThe aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of spaced digital education in improving pre- and postregistration health care professionals' knowledge, skills, attitudes, satisfaction, and change in clinical behavior.

methodsThis review followed Cochrane's methodology and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting guidelines. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses databases from January 1990 to February 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, and quasi-RCTs comparing spaced digital education with nonspaced education, spaced nondigital education, traditional learning, or no intervention for pre- or postregistration health care professionals. Study selection, data extraction, study quality, and certainty of evidence were assessed by 2 independent reviewers. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effect models.

resultsWe included 23 studies evaluating spaced online education (n=17, 74%) or spaced digital simulation (n=6, 26%) interventions. Most studies assessed 1 or 2 outcomes, including knowledge (n=15, 65%), skills (n=9, 39%), attitudes (n=8, 35%), clinical behavior change (n=8, 35%), and satisfaction (n=7, 30%). Most studies had an unclear or a high risk of bias (n=19, 83%). Spaced online education was superior to massed online education for postintervention knowledge (n=9, 39%; standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.32, 95% CI 0.13-0.51, I

conclusionsSpaced digital education is effective in improving knowledge, particularly in substantially improving surgical skills and promoting clinical behavior change in pre- and postregistration health care professionals. Our findings support the use of spaced digital education interventions in undergraduate and postgraduate health profession education. Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021241969.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42021241969; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=241969.

Indexed as

Education, DistanceHealth PersonnelClinical CompetenceHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as Topiccontinuous medical educationdigital educatione-learninghealth care professionalsmeta-analysisspaced digital educationspaced educationspaced learningspaced simulationsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID39388234
PMCPMC11502984

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.