Centre for Evidence-Based Practice
The Centre for Evidence-Based Practice (CEBaP) is a non-profit global centre located in Belgium that supports humanitarian and development aid activities, including those of Belgian Red Cross, with scientific evidence.
CEBaP was launched in 2009 and currently consists of 9 enthusiastic researchers with an academic background, including 7 PhDs and two PhD students. They are working on a daily basis on the development of systematic reviews, evidence-based guidelines and primary field research, relevant to the aid sector.
Top row: Emmy De Buck (manager), Hans Van Remoortel, Jorien Laermans; middle row: Hans Scheers, Tine D'aes, Irvin Kendall; bottom row: Pieter Severijns, Luce Mosselmans, Yana Criel
At CEBaP, we believe that providing high-quality assistance is paramount. Through CEBaP we are able to provide a scientific basis for a wide range of humanitarian activities, from blood supply to development programs or emergency relief. We achieve this by developing systematic reviews, which are overviews of evidence based on published scientific studies. In addition we develop evidence-based guidelines, in which also practice experience and preferences of the target group are taken into account. Where gaps in evidence are identified, we also conduct primary field studies.
Four strategic research areas
We conduct evidence-based work and primary research into a broad range of humanitarian aid activities, although we tend to focus first and foremost on four priority areas:
- First aid education & hygiene promotion
- First aid assistance & disaster preparedness
- Blood platelets
- Blood donors
These areas are all situated at the ‘pre-hospital’ stage, for which high-quality, independent research is extremely thin on the ground. It is our aim to be a leading expert in these four areas, based on our evidence-based work and primary research, and make this expertise available to the sector.
Using a transparent and high-standard methodology
The work of CEBaP supports policymaking within Belgian Red Cross, thus bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application. We always provide objective and transparent information about our work, and our methodological standards are detailed in a methodological charter. In summary, the methodology of Cochrane is used for the development of our systematic reviews and our guidelines are developed according to the AGREE II checklist for guideline development and appraisal. The study design of our primary studies intends to minimize bias. All our projects have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Evidence for better aid
The aid sector often relies on tradition, intuition or goodwill. In order to provide aid with impact, we constantly identify proven effective and cost-effective approaches.
CEBaP is a global centre serving the aid sector:
- supporting Belgian Red Cross in its activities
- generating evidence syntheses and research for better aid
- cooperating with Cebam, Cochrane Belgium
