Video strategies improved health professional knowledge across different contexts: a helix counterbalanced randomized controlled study

Objective: This study aimed to apply a novel helix counterbalanced randomized controlled trial design to evaluate the effectiveness of video vs. written knowledge translation strategies for improving health professional knowledge of evidence provided in scientific journal articles.

Study Design and Setting: A Helix counterbalanced randomized controlled trial was used to compare the impact of delivering research information via video or written modalities compared to a no-information control across three health contexts. Interventions were delivered and data collected via an online survey to nursing and allied health professionals across five hospitals within a public health service in Melbourne, Australia. A knowledge test measuring alignment between respondent perceived benefit of the intervention and conclusions listed in the journal article was the primary outcome.

Results: There were 119 participants recruited with n = 13 incomplete responses. Exposure to the video increased the likelihood of a knowledge test response that was aligned with the research evidence compared to the no-information control (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.40, 4.89; P = 0.003), but this was not the case for exposure to the written modality (OR 1.39; 95% CI 0.75, 2.57; P = 0.294).

Conclusion: Providing video knowledge translation strategies to nursing and allied health professionals increases the likelihood they will understand the main findings from scientific journal articles.