Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
www.pharmpress.com/fact
Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 15–6
The aim of this project was to evaluate three French self-learning website modules intended for CAM practitioners and health professionals. The objective of this website was to offer methodological tools in order to develop a good ability to research valid information and encourage the development of a systematic approach of CAM literature.
All modules were based on clinical situations that refer to the use of CAM. Eighteen CAM practitioners or health professionals evaluate the three modules. They got through them in a specific order: module 1) How to find information that is pertinent and valid, module 2) Evaluation of an article on a complementary or alternative therapy to prevention or treatment, and module 3) Exploring the question from all angles: review article, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. After each module, a questionnaire was completed to evaluate the pedagogical aspects, virtual presentation and navigation on the web. Also, a few questions were added in order to evaluate knowledge modifications after the lecture of each module.
The French evaluators found that the site offered a potential of abundant scientific research and allowed them to obtain information from conventional medicine. Overall, the content of each module seemed good enough to bring new knowledge or to push them further. The majority of them will recommend these self-learning modules to colleagues.
The three French self-learning modules led CAM practitioners or health professionals to discover and use in a progressive, educative and practical way various resources available on the internet and provide adequate information about CAM.
Funded by Health Canada.
