Research Evaluation Block 1 Flashcards
Define Prevalence
Number of occurrences at one particular time
Obtained from cross-sectional studies, no timeline, only snap shot in time
Define Incidence
Occurrence, rate, frequency of disease
Obtained from Cohort Studies and follows cohort through time
Define Correlation Coefficient
“r”
Absolute value of coefficient telling how strong relationship is between variables
-1 - 1, closer to them is stronger relationship
Closer to 0, weaker relationship
Define Relative Risk
Likelihood an event will occur w/in a population
Experimental Event Rate/Control Event Rate
Makes insignificant findings APPEAR significant
Define Sensitivity
People w/ disease compared to people with a positive test for the disease
(tests ability to identify correctly who have the test)
Rules out disease
Define Specificity
People without disease who have a negative test
(ability of test to correctly ID those who don’t have the disease)
Rules disease in
Define Two-Stage testing
Calculates net sensitivity and net specificity of using both tests in sequence
After completion, loss of net sensitivity and gain of specificity
Define Simultaneous Testing
PT is positive if tested pos on one or more tests
PT is negative if tested neg on ALL tests
Net gain in sensitivity and loss of specificity
Define External Validity
Ability to apply results obtained from studied population to broader populations
AKA generalization
Define Internal Validity
W/in confines of study, results appear to be accurate and investigators interpretation is supported
Define Confidence Interval
More important than p-value and a better determination of significance
95% CI= 95% certain that true value is within the CI range, narrower the better
Define Number Needed to Treat
of PTs needed to receive new intervention instead of standard alternative in order for ONE additional patient to benefit, used for prophylactic measures
Very effective treatments range: 2-4
10 or less for therapy
20 or less for prevention
Define Number Needed to Harm
Treatment is detrimental
Will have negative absolute risk reduction
Define P-Value
Probability level, chance of random error
Likelihood that difference observed between two interventions happened by chance
Define Efficacy Trial
Attempt to learn if drug, procedure or program works under ideal conditions
Define Type I Error
Reject the null when null was true
Finding an effect that isn’t real
Convicting innocent man to prison
Considered worse than Type II
Define Type II Error
Failure to reject null hypothesis
Missing an effect that does exist
Not convicting guilty man
Define Confounding
Variables that correlate in/directly with in/dependent variable
Define Case Report
Literature identifying single incident and discussing pertinent factors related to PT
Define Case Series
Study analyzes number of individual cases that share a commonality, usually w/ relatively low number of subjects
Define Case-Control
Studies w/ PTs already w/ condition/case compared to those who don’t have it (control)
Researcher looks back
Define Systematic Review
Thorough, comprehensive, explicit way of interpreting medical literature
Define Meta-analysis
Method for combining study data from several studies to justify quantitative summary to develop single conclusion with greater statistical power
Define Prospective Cohort Study
IDs group of PTs already taking treatment/have exposure and follows them forward over period of time