Knowledge sharing practice and its associated factors among health professionals in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Knowledge sharing in health care can be defined as the clarification and dissemination of up-to-date health information to employees, decision-makers, and other stakeholders via interactive communication platforms. The prevalence of knowledge-sharing practices as a whole is unknown. As a result, this meta-analysis intended to identify knowledge-sharing practices and associated factors among Ethiopian health professionals. Methods: Studies were found using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and web-science (PRISMA-P). The STATA 14 program was used to conduct the analysis. The I2 was used to check for inter-study heterogeneity, while the funnel plot and Egger’s regression test statistic were used to look for potential publication bias. To compare the summary effects, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across studies, a random-effect model was used. Result: Five studies out of 401 were found to meet the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. In Ethiopia, the estimated prevalence of knowledge-sharing practices was 55.06% (95 %CI:42.58–67.54).Variables Extrinsically motivation 2.05(AOR=2.05;95%CI:1.39–3.01),access to information communication technology 2.47 (AOR=2.47;95%CI:1.45–4.20),opportunity 2.82 (AOR=2.82;95%CI:1.84–4.39),awareness 2.53 [AOR=2.53;95%CI:1.58–4.05],willingness 2.41 [AOR=2.41;95%CI:1.43–4.07] were significantly associated with outcome variable. Conclusion: and recommendation: In Ethiopia, the overall prevalence of knowledge-sharing practices were poor. Knowledge-sharing practices were determined by awareness, willingness, information technology access, opportunity, and motivation. As a result, policymakers could focus their efforts on raising awareness, developing motivational programs, and implementing full-fledged information communication technology to encourage health professionals to share their knowledge and improve the overall quality of healthcare services