Evaluation of Internet-Based CME for Wet-cupping Providers

Evaluation of Internet-Based CME for Wet-cupping Providers: Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomized controlled Trial to evaluate the internet based CME for wet cupping providers in Saudi Arabia

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Educational Problems
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Educational material

Detailed Description

Research problem:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is widely used in Saudi Arabia. As wet-cupping practice regulation and licensing had been established the need increased to develop a system of Continuing Medical Education (CME) for wet-cupping providers. E-learning grown steadily to become a popular approach in medical education with the fast-evolving technologies made it possible to develop and implement a high-quality Internet-based CME. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Internet-based CME with conventional CME in the field of complementary medicine.

Research Significance:

Aiming to control the training to guarantee evidenced-based quality care while facing the challenge of increased number of licensed cupping providers who needs CME hours to maintain and improve their practice. There is a need for a study to evaluate if the internet-based technique can help overcome the challenge and to increase the number and improve the quality of CME activities.

Research Objectives:

To evaluate the effect of internet-based CME activity on knowledge, knowledge retention and intellectual skills in wet-cupping providers compared with conventional CME activity. Moreover, to develop a model of a blended CME activity using the online platform to conduct a flipping classroom CME activity in complementary medicine.

Research Methodology:

Randomised, open, comparative controlled trial. Participants will be selected from a list of the registered cupping providers. Using a list of registered cupping providers (sample frame) a sample will be selected randomly using computer generated number. After taking informed consent participants will be allocated randomly into three groups; 1) Internet-based CME activity group; 2) Conventional CME activity group, and 3) control group (waitlist) receiving no intervention. Data will be explored for distribution, and the appropriate methods of presentation and testing of differences will be selected accordingly. Two-tailed values of p<0.05 will be considered statistically significant. Immediate knowledge score, Retention Knowledge rate and skills score will be compared within and between the groups.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Physicians, nurses, physiotherapists
• Passed the Compulsory wet cupping training course within the last three years.
• Available during the study periods.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unaccredited wet cupping training courses.
• Accredit courses more than three Years

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: NONE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Internet based; Six days of Instructional online CME educational material using Test-Enhanced E-Learning strategy.; Followed by one day face to face CME activity	Other: Educational material; Educational material given as a part of CME activity as through enhanced internet method; Other Names: CME
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Face to Face; Three days face to face Conventional CME educational materials	Other: Educational material; Educational material given as a part of CME activity as through enhanced internet method; Other Names: CME
NO_INTERVENTION: Wait listed; No CME activity will be given

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Knowledge score	To measure the change the knowledge score within and between the internet-based CME group, the conventional CME group, and the control group before and immediately after the intervention	Day 0 and day 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Knowledge score	to asses the change in knowledge score knowledge between day 7 and day 14	Day 7 and day 14

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Saudi Arabia
• Investigators: Study Chair: Moahmed Khalil, MD, National Center for Complmentary and Alternative Medicine; Principal Investigator: Abdullah AlMudiaheem, MBBS, National Center for Complmentary and Alternative Medicine; Study Director: Nasser Al-Hamdan, College of Medicine

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ANTICIPATED): September 25, 2017
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): November 25, 2017
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): December 10, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 23, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): August 1, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): August 1, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2017
• Last Verified: July 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: nccam_1_2017

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No