Pathways to evidence-based knowledge in orthopaedic surgery: an international survey of AO course participants

The aim of this study was to gain information about how orthopaedic surgeons use evidence-based literature and how this is influenced by their knowledge of evidence-based medicine. We administered a questionnaire to participants at courses of the Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (AO-ASIF) in Davos, Switzerland, in December 2003. Special attention was paid to the surgeons’ educational level, affiliations, and the infrastructure and evidence sources they used. In addition, we tested participants on their knowledge and attitude to evidence-based orthopaedic surgery (EBOS). Of 1,274 course participants, 456 completed the questionnaire. Of 446 respondents, 300 had heard of EBOS, but only 45% could define it correctly. Nearly two thirds identified scientific publications as their main source of scientific knowledge. The respondents’ attitudes to and awareness of EBOS principles was high, but it did not influence their manner of searching for scientific information or their trust in various sources of recommendations.