Reviewing The Evidence Flashcards
What is a meta analysis?
This is a quantitative representation of results of multiple studies which addressed the same hypothesis in the same way.
What is a forest plot?
This is a diagram which shows the results of all studies in a meta analysis. At the bottom there is a diamond which is centred on the estimated odds ratio and shows the Confidence Intervals.
What is publication bias with respect to meta analysis?
This is where studies with favourable results are more likely to have been published than others, and this can lead to bias if only published studies are used.
What is the difference between random effects and fixed effects?
Random effects assumes all studies have the a different true value and it is due to random variation. Fixed effects assume that the true value in all studies is the same.
How can variable quality be dealt with in metaanalysis?
Either a standard is set and only studies which exceed these are included, or a weighting system is used so that better studies carry more weight.
What is a funnel plot?
This shows size and odds ratio. Larger studies will have less variation. A good unbiased systematic review will have a good spread of different sizes and results.
What is a systematic review?
This is a review of primary studies which used explicit and reproducible methods. It is an extremely credible source of evidence.
