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A few thoughts on evidence in social work
Gary Holden1, Ellen Tuchman, Kathleen Barker
1Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, New York, USA. gary.holden@nyu.edu
Social Work in Health Care
|July 12, 2012
Summary
Social workers face uncertainty due to knowledge gaps. Evidence-based practice and web-based services like Information for Practice (IP) aim to reduce this uncertainty for better client outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Social Work
- Information Science
Background:
- Social work practice is characterized by daily uncertainty stemming from knowledge gaps.
- Gaps exist in understanding system contexts, client populations, specific problems, and intervention effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore methods for reducing practitioner uncertainty.
- To narrow knowledge gaps in social work practice.
- To review the development of web-based services supporting evidence-based practice.
Main Methods:
- Selective review of evidence-based practice initiatives in social work.
- Description of a stage in the evolution of the Information for Practice (IP) web-based service.
Main Results:
- Evidence-based practice is an established approach to support social workers.
- The Information for Practice (IP) project is an ongoing effort to provide current knowledge to practitioners.
Conclusions:
- Reducing uncertainty is crucial for effective social work.
- Web-based services like IP can facilitate evidence-based practice by disseminating new scholarship and news.
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