Evidence-based practices published in Brazil: identification and analysis of their types and methodological approches

Abstract

This is an integrative review of Brazilian studies on evidence-based practices (EBP) in health, published in ISI/JCR journals in the last 10 years. The aim was to identify the specialty areas that most accomplished these studies, their foci and methodological approaches. Based on inclusion criteria, 144 studies were selected. The results indicate that most EBP studies addressed childhood and adolescence, infectious diseases, psychiatrics/mental health and surgery. The predominant foci were prevention, treatment/rehabilitation, diagnosis and assessment. The most used methods were systematic review with or without meta-analysis, protocol review or synthesis of available evidence studies, and integrative review. A strong multiprofessional expansion of EBP is found in Brazil, contributing to the search for more selective practices by collecting, recognizing and critically analyzing the produced knowledge. The study also contributes to the analysis itself of ways to do research and new research possibilities.