Reflections for global public health research and evidence-based medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic

摘要

Healthcare professionals are often overburdened, with limited time toexamine all current, best available evidence to inform their practiceand clinical decision-making. This has been very much the caseduring the COVID-19 pandemic, with healthcare professionals atthe frontline facing physical exhaustion, mental health challengesassociated with stigma, limited family time, and the passing of thoseseeking healthcare.[1] In addition to some of the psychosocial factorsimpacting on healthcare professionals, the surge in the availableevidence during the COVID-19 pandemic made clinical decisionmakingcumbersome, as evidence-based medicine attempted toaddress clinical decision-making through the best available evidencetogether with clinical expertise and patient values.