Neuropsychiatry residents’ attitudes and perceptions regarding evidence-based medicine: a mixed-methods study

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has dominated mainstream medicine over the last two decades. There has also been a continuous effort to establish the evidence-base of Korean medicine in various fields. The attitudes and perceptions of neuropsychiatry (NP) residents regarding EBM were investigated to ensure their ability to keep abreast of the progress in the field of medicine. We distributed a questionnaire to all of the residents in all of the Korean medical hospitals in Korea (n = 388). The questionnaire consists of both quantitative and qualitative questions. The overall response rate is 68.30 % (n = 265), while the response rate of the NP residents is 84.84 % (n = 28). The NP residents generally expressed unwelcoming attitudes toward EBM, perceiving it as less necessary compared with the residents of other specialties; the NP residents also had a poor understanding of the basic knowledge that is required to read papers. In a qualitative study, three categories and four themes were identified regarding the advantages of the application of EBM in Korean medicine, while two categories and six themes were identified regarding the barriers that hamper evidence-based practice in Korean medicine. In terms of the acceptance of new evidence, the NP residents lacked both skill and knowledge; the key underpinning factor here is a perceived uselessness. The factors that have formed this tendency should be considered during the formulation of a desirable model of NP practice.