An Initial Evaluation of Effective Health Care Bulletins as Instruments of Effective Dissemination

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Abstract
Reports a postal survey of 175 senior district health authority managers to determine the extent to which the Effective Health Care (EHC) bulletin No. 1 has effectively disseminated the results of a systematic review of the effectiveness of population‐based bone density screening for osteoporosis to health care commissioners in district health authorities; and a supplement outlining the process of critical appraisal. The information in the bulletin was perceived by a large majority as “correct”. A positive correlation was found between confidence to act and having read about the process of critical appraisal. Confidence to act was strongly correlated with a stated intention to use the bulletin in situations relating to the purchase of bone density screening for osteoporosis and also with the view that the bulletin would be influential in local discussions. Further research is needed to assess the impact on decision making.