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. 2022 Mar 24;17(3):e0265927. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265927

Table 2. Effect of Intervention on skill level.

Study number Author, year & country Outcome of interest Summary statistics (Percentage of mark/ Score by using mobile application (Mean±SD, P Value)) Sample size (I: Intervention; C: Control) Duration Effectiveness of mobile application
1 Nadir et al, 2019, USA [42] Change in skill level Mean percentages of completed checklist items:
Int: 56.1±10.3; Cont: 49.4±7.4 for shortness of breath (P = 0.001); Int: 58±8.1; Cont: 49.8±7.0 for syncope (P<0.001)
Mean GRS score for Syncope: Int:3.14±0.89; Cont: 2.6±0.97; P = 0.003
Mean GRS score for shortness of breath: Int:2.90±0.97; Cont: 2.81±0.80; P = 0.43
58 (C:29; I: 29) 23 minutes Effective in one condition (Out of 2)
2 Mamtora et al, 2018, UK [43] Change in skill level Accurate description score (Out of 60):
Dry AMD: Int: 47(78%); Cont: 28(47%) P < 0.05; CRVO: Int: 31(52%); Cont: 15(25%) P < 0.05; Papilloedema: Int: 28(47%); Cont: 29(48%) p = 0.52; Optic atrophy: Int: 50(83%); Cont: 34(57%); P = 0.08; PDR: Int: 43(72%); Cont: 32(53%); p = < 0.05
Accurate clinical diagnosis score (Out of 20):
AMD: Int: 15(75%); Cont: 6(30%) P < 0.05; CRVO: Int: 8(40%); Cont: 6(30%); P = 0.48; Papilloedema: Int: 6(30%); Cont: 6(30%); P = 0.78; Optic atrophy: Int: 4(20%); Cont: 4(20%) P = 0.66; PDR: Int: 14(70%); Cont: 8(40%) P = 0.10
20 (C: 10; I: 10) 15 min Effective
3 Haubruck et al, 2018, UK [44] Change in skill level Operation performance by OSATS (Points): Int: 38.0 [I50 = 7.0]; Cont: 30.5 [I50 = 8.0]; (P<0.001);
Economy of time and motion: Int: 4.0 [I50 = 1.0]; Cont: 3.0 [I50 = 1.0]; (P = 0.004); Less helping need: Int: 4.0 [I50 = 1.0]; Cont: 2.0 [I50 = 1.0]; (P<0.001);
Confident in handling of instruments: Int: 3.0 [I50 = 2.0]; Cont: 3.0 [I50 = 2.0] (P<0.001);
Digital exploration of the pleural cavity: Int: 4.0 [I50 = 2.0]; Cont: 2.0 [I50 = 2.0](P<0.001);
Median time of performing a CTI: Int: 4:15; Cont: 4:17 min.
95 (I: 49; C: 46) 120 min Effective
4 Oliveira et al, 2019, Brazil [45] Change in skill level Significant differences from the specialists’ reference standards: Int: Conditions 4 and 10 (P<0.001); Cont: Conditions 1, 4,6, 7, 8, and 10 (P<0.05) 20 (C: 10; I: 10) 1 month Effective
5 Martínez et al, 2017, Chile* [9] Change in skill level Increase in score: Int: 16.2 ± 8.3 points (P < 0.001); Cont: 10.6 ± 11.7 points (P < 0.001)
Difference in score between the groups: 3.5points (P = 0.22).
80 (I: 40; C: 40) 4 weeks Effective
6 Naveed et al, 2018, England [52] Change in skill level Average OSATS Score (Max score: 5): Int: 3.53±0.39; Cont: 2.58±0.71; P = 0.0139 20 (C: 10; I: 10); Final evaluation (C: 7; I: 8) Int: 1 hour; Cont: 2 hours Effective
7 Kim et al, 2018, South Korea [53] Change in skill level Improvement in nursing skill performance (Out of 378): Int: 205.35 ± 24.01 to 363.62 ± 9.07; Cont: 202.94 ± 22.95 to 328.22 ± 27.76
Mean Difference in Pre-post Skills: Int: 158.26±25.61; Cont: 125.28±33.502; P<0.001
72 (C: 36; I: 36); Final evaluation: 66 (C: 32, I: 34) 1 week Effective
8 Kang et al, 2020, South Korea [61] Change in skill level Mean Difference in Pre-post Skills:
Cont: 0.52 ± 0.56; Exp 1: 0.62 ± 0.73; Exp 2: 0.95 ± 0.46; P = 0.014
86 (Exp 1: 26; Exp 2: 32; Cont: 28) 2 weeks Effective
9 Bayram et al, 2019, Turkey [54] Change in skill level Median Skill score:
Pre test:Int: 53 (40–57); Cont: 53 (37–57); P = 0.997
Post test:Int: 55 (46–57); Cont: 54 (46–57); P = 0.017
Median OSCE time (Seconds):
Pre test: Int: 330 (162–360); Cont: 340 (228–360); P = 0.022
Post test:Int: 260 (180–360); Cont: 260 (190–360); P = 0.723
118 (C: 59; I:59) 1 week Not effective
10 Fernández-Lao et al, 2016, Spain [55] Change in skill level Global OSCE Scores:
Ultrasound skills: Int:12.000 ± 2.572; Cont:9.000 ± 2.943; P = 0.000
Palpation skills: 12.038 ± 3.155; Cont:9.833 ± 3.963; P = 0.034
49 (I: 25; C: 24) 2 weeks Effective
11 Lozano-Lozano et al, 2020, Spain [56] Change in skill level OSCE exam score: Int:7.3 ± 1.5; Cont: NA; P<0.001
110 (C: 55; I: 55); Final Evaluation: 105 (C: 55; I: 50) 2 weeks Effective
12 Strandell-Laine et al, 2018, Finland [46] Change in skill level Mean Overall improvement in competence score: Int: 10.11±2.22; Cont: 11.67±2.30 (P = 0.57)
Mean Improvement in self-efficacy: Int: 1.77±0.17; Cont: 1.51± 0.20 (P = 0.37)
102 (I = 52; C = 50) Three periods of 5 weeks Not effective
13 Bartlett et al, 2017, UK [47] Change in skill level Mean baseline score to post intervention score:
Group 1: 28.7 (62.3%) to 32.7 (71.1%); P = 0.003
Group 2: 27.0 (58.7%) to 36.1 (78.5%); P = 0.001
Group 3: 27.6 (59.8%) to 34.9 (75.7%); P = 0.001
Mean score change from baseline (95% CI):
Group 1: 4.0 (1.8–6.2); Group 2:9.1 (4.7–13.5); Group 3: 7.3 (4.3–10.4)
27 (Group 1: 9; Group 2: 9; Group 3: 9) 1 hour Effective
14 Bunogerane et al, 2017, Rwanda [57] Change in skill level Difference in cognitive skills (percentage change in pre test & post test):
Int: 38.6% (P<0.001); Cont: 15.9% (P = 0.304)
Overall simulation test score: Int: 22.43 (89.71%); Cont: 15.85 (63.4%); P <0.001
27 (C: 13; I: 14) Till post-test completion Effective
15 Low et al, 2011, UK [48] Change in skill level Overall cardiac arrest simulation test score Median (IQR): Int: 84.5(75.5–92.5); Cont: 72(62–87); P = 0.02 31 (I: 16; C: 15) Till completion of test Effective
16 Miriam McMullan, 2018, UK [49] Change in skill level Drug Calculation Ability (Mean±SD): Pre: 47.6±23.4; Post: 56.7±24.7; P = 0.004
Drug Calculation Self-Efficacy (Mean±SD): Pre: 20.4±18.0; Post: 49.6±19.9; P<0.001
60 (Paramedics: 41; ODP: 19) 8 weeks Effective
17 Kang et al, 2018, South Korea [58] Change in skill level Mean HTN self-efficacy
Pre test: Int:72.2±9.6;Cont:68.1±13.6; Post test: Int:78.0±10.3;Cont:66.4±13.6; P = 0 .002
Mean DM self-efficacy
Pre test: Int:67.8±9.9;Cont: 62.2±14.1; Post test: Int:72.0±12.2;Cont: 65.8±12.6; P = 0.043
92 [I: 49 (HTN: 21; DM: 28); C: 43 (HTN: 20; DM: 23)] 1 week Effective
18 Young Yoo et al, 2015, South Korea [59] Change in skill level Clinical assessment skill for lung practice:Int:29.0 ± 1.1; Cont: 28.4 ± 0.8 (P = 0.258)
Clinical assessment skill for Heart practice: Int: 37.0 ± 2.4; Cont: 38.3 ± 1.3 (P = 0.258)
22 (11 each cross over) 4 weeks Not effective
19 Kim et al, 2017, South Korea [60] Change in skill level Difference in the mean scores for skills: Int: 11.97 ± 5.07; Cont: 6.71 ± 4.34 (P<0.001) 80 (I: 40; C: 40); Final evaluation: 73 (I: 35; C:38) 1 month Effective
20 Shore et al, 2018, USA [62] Change in skill level Median simulation test score: 89 (IQR, 81 to 92) 53 (single group) 3 weeks Effective
21 Meyer et al, 2018, USA [50] Change in skill level Mean accuracy in testing/ diagnostic decisions: Int: 82.6%; Cont: 70.2%; P<0.001
Mean confidence in testing/diagnostic decisions (out of 10): Int: 7.5; Cont: 6.3; P<0.001
46 30 to 60 minutes Effective
22 Quezada et al, 2019, Chile [51] Change in skill level Improvement in GRS (5–25) score: Int: 15(6–17) to 23(20–25); P<0.05; Cont: 15(10–19) to 24(22–5); P<0.05
Improvement in SRS (4–20) score: Int: 12(11–15) to 18(15–20); P<0.05; Cont: 12(8–15) to 19(16–20); P<0.05
Change in Operative time (min): Int: 39(10.47) to 22(3.37); P<0.05; Cont: 42(12.58) to 22(3.35); P <0.05
55 (C: 25; I: 30) 72 hours for single video Effective
23 Ebner et al, 2019, Germany [63] Change in skill level Longitudinal kidney measurements (mm)
Right kidney (Median[IQR]): Int: 105.3(86.1 to 127.1); Cont: 92(50.4 to 112.2); P<0.001
Left kidney (Median[IQR]):Int: 100.3(81.7 to 118.6); Cont: 85.3(48.3 to 113.4); P<0.001
Median Measuring time (in seconds): Int: 351 (155–563); Cont: 302 (103–527) P = 0.26
66 (I: 33; C: 33) 1 week Effective

AMD: Age-related Macular Degeneration; CRVO: Central retinal vein occlusion; DM: Diabetes Mellitus; GRS: Global rating scale; HTN: Hypertension; ODP: Operating Department Practice; OSATS: Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills; OSCE: Objective structured clinical evaluation; PDR: Pre-proliferative diabetic retinopathy; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; SD: Standard Deviation; SRS: Specific rating scale; UK: United Kingdom; USA: United States of America.

* Indicates that the study reported final score of EUNACOM (theoretical practical exam of general medicine) as combined knowledge and skill score. So the same result is repeated in skill domain also