Partnering to examine the evidence base for chronic disease management
The MSSU has published three Knowledge Snapshots, brief documents that share literature search findings on self-management support and chronic disease management.
Against an explosion of scientific publications—an estimated 3 million new articles each year1—finding out what is already known can be a challenge. The Knowledge Snapshots give researchers and healthcare professionals a quick and digestible view of existing knowledge and research on specific topics.
“Evidence synthesis is a cornerstone of evidence-based practice. It allows a team to see the big picture and identify any gaps before they move ahead with practice or policy decisions. Self-management and chronic disease management are incredibly active areas of research, so in this case, we wanted to create products in a relatively short timeframe that would help the team get a handle on what was already out there,” says Leah Boulos, Evidence Synthesis Coordinator with the Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU).
While not exhaustive catalogues of research on a particular topic, the Knowledge Snapshots provide a quick view of the literature at a specific time—and a starting point for further investigation.
The MSSU developed the Knowledge Snapshots in collaboration with members from the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) Primary Health Care (PHC) team.
“Partnering with the MSSU to help with the vast amount of literature on chronic disease management and wellness promotion has been incredibly helpful as we continue our efforts to advance the health and wellbeing of Nova Scotians. Primary Health Care is truly the foundation of the health system. Using the evidence and partnering with researchers is one way that we are strengthening the foundation,” says Lynn Edwards, Senior Director of Primary Health Care, Family Practice and Chronic Disease Management with the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
Download the Knowledge Snapshots
References
1. Johnson R, Watkinson A, and Mabe M. The STM Report: An overview of scientific and scholarly publishing. The Hague: International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers, 2018. https://www.stm-assoc.org/2018_10_04_STM_Report_2018.pdf (Accessed 16 January 2020).