Clinical trial NCT06605040: Scientific Content Disseminated Via Social Media for Physiotherapists
Official title: Audiovisual Materials Disseminated Via Social Media Targeting Evidence-based Rehabilitation Implementation for Physiotherapists
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physiotherapy
Keywords: Knowledge translation
continuous education
evidence-based practice
Lead sponsor: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-09-20
Enrollment: 120
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study is designed to assess how effective social media is in disseminating scientific knowledge to physiotherapists in Brazil. The trial will include physiotherapists who treat at least three patients weekly and regularly use Instagram and WhatsApp. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group will receive scientific content through Instagram, while the control group will receive the same content via email. Both groups will engage with the material for 10 weeks.

The scientific content covers seven key topics related to physiotherapy, such as musculoskeletal and sport rehabilitation, and will be tailored to clinical practice. For the Instagram group, content will be shared via posts, stories, and reels, while the email group will receive summaries and links to full articles. The study aims to evaluate the impact of these interventions on participants\&#39; engagement with scientific content and its application to clinical practice.

Key outcomes will include the effectiveness of knowledge dissemination, participant feedback on the audiovisual content, and qualitative insights from interviews. The study will follow a specific timeline, with reassessment three months after the intervention to gauge long-term effects. Data will be analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the intervention\&#39;s reach and feasibility.

Detailed description: This protocol details a randomized, single-blind controlled trial to assess how effectively scientific content can be disseminated to Brazilian physiotherapists using social media (Instagram). The study will follow physiotherapists who treat at least three patients per week and use Instagram and WhatsApp regularly. These participants will be randomized into two groups: an experimental group receiving content via Instagram and a control group receiving the same information via email.

The study will focus on seven areas relevant to physiotherapy practice, including musculoskeletal rehabilitation, cardiovascular care, and women's health. The content, developed using scientific articles, will be shared daily over 10 weeks. For the Instagram group, the content will be presented through various formats like posts, stories, and reels, with visually engaging elements to boost retention. The email group will receive daily summaries of the articles, similar to a journal-style format.

To maintain participant engagement, both groups will receive weekly summaries, and participants will be assessed on how well they apply the scientific content in practice. The primary outcomes include the effectiveness of content dissemination, participant engagement, and knowledge retention, evaluated through surveys, interviews, and technical assessments. Qualitative interviews will explore participants' experiences, and the quality of the audiovisual materials used will be rated by participants.

The trial will last for 10 weeks, followed by an additional week for reassessment and a three-month follow-up. Data will be analyzed quantitatively to measure the reach and effectiveness of the interventions, with feasibility analyzed using the RE-AIM framework. Qualitative data will be analyzed through thematic analysis, ensuring an in-depth understanding of the intervention's success. This study aims to offer insights into the best methods for delivering scientific knowledge to healthcare professionals via digital platforms.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Physiotherapists practicing in Brazil
* Involvement in the rehabilitation of at least three patients per week
* Having access to the social media platforms Instagram and WhatsApp at least once daily on most days of a typical week

Primary outcomes:
measure: Use of scientific information to make clinical decisions
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Understanding of scientific information interpretation for application in clinical practice
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Motivation to search for scientific information that could support clinical decisions
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Importance of scientific information in making clinical decisions
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Barriers to applying scientific findings
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ)
timeFrame: Baseline and the end of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Overcoming the reported barriers
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
measure: Completion
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Level of participation
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Impact of program on the clinical practice and decisions
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Use of shared information
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Influence of the program
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Intervention&#39;s modification
timeFrame: During the whole program which will take approximately 7 months
measure: Contamination of control group
timeFrame: During the 10 weeks of treatment
measure: Attitude towards seeking information from channels that facilitate the understanding of high-quality scientific findings
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Approach to study
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Use of channels to facilitate understanding
timeFrame: 3-month follow-up
measure: Application of information from different channels
timeFrame: 3-month follow-up
measure: Qualitative outcome
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Quality of information
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Visual quality of the shared materials
timeFrame: End of treatment at 10 weeks
measure: Metrics from social media
timeFrame: During the whole program which will take approximately 7 months
Locations:
city: Santa Maria
country: Brazil
facility: Federal University of Santa Maria
state: RS
Study officials:
affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
name: Guilherme S Nunes, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: