Acid Reflux Screening in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: An Assessment of Provider’s Belief and Readiness in Evidence-Based Practice

Importance: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a worldwide deadly disease with a mortality rate of nearly 100% without lung transplantation (IPF Foundation, 2020). The exact cause of this disease is unclear. Evidence has shown that IPF patients have a high risk of having abnormal acid reflux. Chronic acid reflux can worsen IPF prognosis. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an online educational intervention in enhancing clinician’s belief, confidence and readiness in implementing an acid reflux screening protocol in IPF patients. Methods: Physicians and nurse practitioners in primary care and pulmonary specialties within the United States were asked to complete online pre- and post-surveys after reviewing a webpage presenting up-to-date research evidence showing the relationship between IPF and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Main Outcomes and Measures: Questionnaires adapted from the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Implementation Scales by Melnyk were utilized to evaluate changes in belief, confidence and readiness to implement evidence-based practice recommendations. Results: Percentage of participants who strongly believed in acid reflux screening in IPF increased from 60% pre-survey to 80% post survey (M=4.75, SD=0.58). The percentage of participants who thought they were ready to implement this screening protocol decreased from 60% pre-survey to 50% post survey (M=4.44, SD=0.63). More participants felt strongly confident during the post-survey. The pre-survey had 130 views with a completion rate of 12.3%. Conclusion and Relevance: An online educational tool such as a webpage was an effective way to enhance clinician’s belief and confidence in acid reflux screening in IPF. Keywords: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, abnormal acid reflux screening, evidence-based practice