Abstract
BackgroundThe Information Assessment Method (IAM) is a popular tool for continuing education and knowledge translation. After a search for information, the IAM allows the health professional to report what was the search objective, its cognitive impact, as well as any use and patient health benefit associated with the retrieved health information. In continuing education programs, professionals read health information, rate it using the IAM, and earn continuing education credit for this brief individual reflective learning activity. IAM items have been iteratively developed using literature reviews and qualitative studies. Thus, our research question was: what is the content validity of IAM items from the users’ perspective?MethodsA two-step content validation study was conducted. In Step 1, we followed a mixed methods research design, and assessed the relevance and representativeness of IAM items. In this step, data from a longitudinal quantitative study and a qualitative multiple case study involving 40 family physicians were analyzed. In Step 2, IAM items were analyzed and modified based on a set of guiding principles by a multi-disciplinary expert panel.ResultsThe content validity of 16 IAM items was supported, and these items were not changed. Nine other items were modified. Three new items were added, including two that were extensions of an existing item.ConclusionA content validated version of the IAM (IAM 2011) is available for the continuing education of health professionals.
Highlights
The Information Assessment Method (IAM) is a popular tool for continuing education and knowledge translation
From time-to-time, clinical decisions are assisted by searches in an Electronic Knowledge Resource (EKR) that provide the Family physician (FP) and their patient with the research-based health information, or evidence, they seek [3]
Representativeness reflected the extent to which an item clearly represented the facet that was being assessed, qualitative methods were used to assess the representativeness of IAM items
Summary
The Information Assessment Method (IAM) is a popular tool for continuing education and knowledge translation. Keeping abreast of medical advances is a challenge, partly because of the turnover of research-based information [1] In their long-term relationships with patients, family physicians (FPs) strive to combine their clinical expertise with their patients’ preference in arriving at a clinical decision [2]. From time-to-time, clinical decisions are assisted by searches in an Electronic Knowledge Resource (EKR) that provide the FP and their patient with the research-based health information, or evidence, they seek [3]. There are questionnaires to evaluate user satisfaction with EKRs. there is a tool called the Information Assessment Method (IAM), which systematically and comprehensively assesses the value of information from the perspective of the health professional [6]. About 10,000 physicians and pharmacists have participated in IAM-based continuing education programs involving InfoPOEMS and Highlights [7,8,9,10]
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