Cochrane's strength lies in its collaborative, global community. Cochrane Geographic Groups represent Cochrane in their host countries, advocating for the use of Cochrane evidence in health policy and practice, and supporting Cochrane's members and supporters locally. Here, we spotlight the impactful work of Cochrane Hong Kong, dedicated to increasing the use of best evidence to inform healthcare decision-making across China and neighbouring regions.
Cochrane Hong Kong, officially established in 2019, is situated at The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. As part of the Cochrane China Network, Cochrane Hong Kong is one of eight affiliate groups across China. Today with over 800 members and supporters, they aim to expand the reach and impact of Cochrane evidence on healthcare practice and build capacity for high-quality evidence production.
Since 2022, Cochrane Hong Kong has led Cochrane Nursing, promoting nursing participation in evidence-based healthcare and actively disseminating Cochrane evidence to diverse nursing audiences. This ensures that nurses are aware of relevant Cochrane reviews that can inform their practice. They run the @CochraneNursing X account to share new evidence, supporting members in their engagement with Cochrane and enhancing the dissemination of evidence in nursing both in the broader Asian region and globally.
The group's translation efforts significantly impact healthcare practices and policies in Hong Kong and across Asia, ensuring that medical professionals and the general population have access to high-quality, evidence-based information. In collaboration with the Cochrane China Network and Cochrane Taiwan, they translate plain language summaries of Cochrane reviews into both simplified and traditional Chinese. Currently, there are 2327 plain language summaries in traditional Chinese and 3842 plain language summaries in simplified Chinese for anyone to search and read, making vital health information more accessible.
In 2022, Cochrane Hong Kong hosted the Knowledge Translation Awards, encouraging global university students to engage in knowledge translation and evidence dissemination. The event concluded with a virtual presentation ceremony to honour the awardees for their innovative contributions to advancing knowledge translation and evidence-based practice. "Cochrane Hong Kong's dedication to translating and disseminating evidence is making a significant impact on healthcare practices in China and beyond," says Professor Wai-tong Chien, Co-Director of Cochrane Hong Kong.
Cochrane Hong Kong offers comprehensive training in systematic reviews and evidence production, empowering health professionals and postgraduate students to conduct high-quality reviews. Their workshops during the 1st Cochrane Hong Kong Symposium and the 7th Pan-Pacific Nursing Conference attracted over 300 delegates. Collaborations with other Cochrane groups and external organisations significantly enhance their impact. In January 2023, they co-organised the 2nd Cochrane China Network Symposium, bringing together global healthcare researchers and experts. They also partnered with Southern Medical University for the 2023 Global Health South Forum and The First Pearl River Implementation Science Symposium (PRISIS).
Cochrane Hong Kong collaborates with the Hospital Authority Hong Kong, which governs all public hospitals in the region. They offer workshops and training on systematic reviews and evidence production. Currently, they are conducting a clinical trial to evaluate an evidence-based detection method for ensuring the correct placement of nasogastric tubes across public hospitals. This partnership aims to enhance evidence-based healthcare decisions, improve clinical practices, and establish or revise standards, guidelines, and policies to ensure the highest quality of care for patients.
Looking ahead, Cochrane Hong Kong will continue producing, translating, and disseminating Cochrane evidence. They will collaborate with healthcare institutions and Cochrane organisations to provide more workshops on evidence-based practice. "Cochrane Hong Kong's future projects will continue to build on our strong foundation, advancing evidence-informed decision-making and improving healthcare outcomes across Asia," notes Professor Janita Chau, Co-Director of Cochrane Hong Kong and Co-Chair of Cochrane Nursing. "We are particularly excited about our upcoming training workshops and fellowship programmes, which will help create the next generation of leaders in evidence-based healthcare."
Cochrane Hong Kong invites individuals and organisations in Asia that are eager to impact healthcare to collaborate and offer their support. If you are interested in contributing to their mission, please reach out at cochranehk@cuhk.edu.hk. There are numerous opportunities to engage and contribute to evidence-based healthcare!