Cochrane Malaysia celebrates World Evidence-based Healthcare (EBHC) Day. October 20th 2020
What is World EBHC day?
World EBHC Day is October 20th 2020. It is intended to recognise the need for better evidence to inform healthcare policy, practice and decision making in order to improve health outcomes globally. As stated by Karla Soares-Weiser, Cochrane Editor in Chief, “The COVID-19 pandemic has really highlighted the critical importance of evidence-informed global health policy and practice”. We invite our medical students to think about how evidence might have impacted on them.
To celebrate this event Cochrane Malaysia held two competitions.
Story Competition for Medical Students
Medical Students at our host institution, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus were invited to tell us their stories on how research evidence has impacted on them or a family member in a personal way. The links to the winner's stories are found below.
Best Idea for Dissemination of the findings of a Cochrane review
We invited our translators, those who translate Cochrane plain language summaries, to choose a Cochrane review that they have helped to translate and come up with an idea. The idea should be about how we could make people who need this information aware of the findings of the Cochrane review so that they can use it to help them make important decisions about their healthcare.
Announcing the winners of the Cochrane Malaysia Evidence-based healthcare story competition
We were delighted with the entries received. We thank Professor Richard Loh, professor of medicine from RCSI and UCD Malaysia Campus (formerly Penang Medical College) and Ms Shaun Hurley, Communications and Engagement Manager at Cochrane Australia, who judged the shortlisted entries.
Both of these stories are very important because they illustrate not only the benefits of applying research evidence but also the difficulties.
The winning entries:
Overall Winner: Lim Chia Yin. Chia Yin was in our Foundation in Science programme last year and is currently at RCSI. Her story is entitled: “The First Step Against Depression”.
Contest judge, Shauna Hurley from Cochrane Australia, remarked:
“This is a wonderful essay. It offers an honest and deeply personal account of a difficult health issue that affects millions of people around the globe, while at the same time demonstrating how searching for high quality evidence and applying the findings can deliver real benefits and improved health outcomes….”
This is what Chia Yin said about her story:
"Through my story I hope that people will realise the benefits and importance of evidence-based healthcare, encouraging them to base their healthcare decisions on reliable and proven sources that may assist them to be free of their illness in the most effective way possible.”
Read Chia Yin’s story here
Runner-up: Wan Ain Sharmimi Sofia Binti Wan Mohd Razani is a second year student at UCD. Her story is entitled: “Tonsils - to be kept or removed”.
Contest judge, Shauna Hurley from Cochrane Australia, remarked:
“… a useful, relatable and real life example of the challenges involved in making health care decisions and the difficulty of finding clear information about the benefits and harms of different interventions”
This is what Sharmimi said about her story:
“…sometimes it’s about making the best decision and not just the right one…”
Read Wan Ain Sharmimi’s story here
Cochrane Malaysia congratulates these two students for their wonderful stories.
Announcing the winner of the Cochrane Malaysia Evidence-based healthcare Best Idea for Dissemination of the findings of a Cochrane review
We are delighted with the entries of this competition that we have received. We thank Professor Hans Van Rostenberghe, Professor of Pediatrics from Universiti Sains Malaysia and Dr. Nor Asiah Muhamad from the Institute of Medical Research (Ministry of Health, Malaysia), who judged the shortlisted entries.
Winner Dr Raymond Chieng Siang Ching from Klinik Kesihatan Bintangor, Sarawak.
Contest judge, Professor Hans Van Rostenberghe, remarked
“…this idea is a very good one, original and feasible. Wikipedia is widely used and dissemination through this channel may reach both care providers and patients…”
Read Raymonds’s idea here
congratulation from Cochrane Malaysia