Surveys/Quest and Systematic review/meta-analysis (2)

Question 1

What is one of the most popular methods for collecting descriptive or subjective data and composed of a series of questions that are posed to a group of subjects?

Answer 1

surveys

Question 2

Survey data can be used in what type of studies?

Answer 2

ALL THREE

experimental, exploratory or descriptive studies

Question 3

Surveys can be conducted as what two things?

Answer 3

1. Oral interview

2. Written/electronic questionnaire

Question 4

What is a questionaire?

Answer 4

Structured surveys
self-administered
using pen / paper or electronic formats

Question 5

Advantages of using a questionnaire: (4)

Answer 5

1. More efficient - respondents complete on their own time
2. Data gathered from large sample in a wide geo distribution in a short time
3. standardized written forms are used - it reduces potential bias from interactions with an interviewer
4. useful as a research method for assessing attitudes and values

Question 6

Disadvantages of using questionnaire: (3)

Answer 6

1. not as useful for studying behavior that require objective observation
2. potential for misinterpreting questions or response choices
3. accuracy or motivation of the respondent unknown

Question 7

Common methods of distributing questionnaires: (3)

Answer 7

1. Through the mail
2. In-person distribution
3. Electronic distribution (most common, economical)

Question 8

Major concerns in regard to surveys and questionnaires: (2)

Answer 8

1. Return rate low - 30-60% for most studies and lowered further by incomplete, incorrect, or missing data (survey samples large to obtain sufficient usable responses)
2. Self-report - always potential for bias or inaccuracy in self-reports

Question 9

recall bias -

Answer 9

when respondents are asked to remember past events

Question 10

Self-report is generally valid for variables such as: (4)

Answer 10

1. injury
2. mobility function
3. hypertension
4. smoking habits

Question 11

Self-report is only direct way to obtain info for: (4)

Answer 11

1. perceptions
2. fears
3. motivations
4. attitudes

Question 12

Design of surveys (7 steps):

Answer 12

1. Identify questions
2. formulate hypothesis
3. develop questionnaire outline
4. Review existing instruments
5. Design instrument
6. Preliminary drafts
7. Pilot testing and revision

Question 13

When pilot testing/revising survey, who test it on and serves to do what?

Answer 13

1. small rep sample of 5-10 subjects from target population

2. serve to check the validity (face validity and content validity)

Question 14

How do respondents answer open-ended survey questions?

Answer 14

respondents to answer in their own words

Question 15

What is open-ended survey questions useful to find?

Answer 15

useful for feelings and opinions without biases/limits imposed by the researcher

Question 16

open-ended survey questions are often used in what part of the study?

Answer 16

pilot study to determine a range of responses, then converted to a multiple choice item

Question 17

T/F open-ended survey questions are difficult to code and analyze

Answer 17

True, difficult to code and analyze because so many different responses can be obtained

Question 18

Closed-ended survey questions -

Answer 18

provide multiple response choices

Question 19

T/F Closed-ended survey questions are easily coded

Answer 19

True, great uniformity across responses

Question 20

Closed-ended survey questions should be exhaustive, what does that mean?

Answer 20

they should include all possible responses that can be expected

Question 21

Closed-ended survey questions should be mutually exclusive, what does that mean?

Answer 21

each choice should clearly represent a unique answer (not 2/4/6 but rather 1-2/3-4/5-6)

Question 22

What is a scale?

Answer 22

ordered system for a series of questions that provide an overall rating

Question 23

What were scales devloped to measure

Answer 23

1. attitudes
2. function
3. health and quality of life
4. pain
5. exertion
6. other physical, physiological and psychological variables

Question 24

Categorical scales -

Answer 24

used with categorical variables such as gender; race; diagnosis

Question 25

Continuous scales -

Answer 25

used with continuous variables such as age; blood pressure; years of experience

Question 26

Ordinal scales -

Answer 26

used with ordinal variables such as: 1. pain measured by minimal; moderate; severe 2. function by independent; minimal assist; moderate assist; maximal assist; dependent

Question 27

What are the steps to analyzing survey data?

Answer 27

1. Enter collected responses into a computer program 2. Code responses appropriately 3. Analyze the data using appropriate statistical methods (descriptive stats to describe data and inferential stats to make decision about population group)

Question 28

What type of stats for continuous variables?

Answer 28

mean and standard deviation

Question 29

What type of stats for categorical variables?

Answer 29

frequency and percent

Question 30

What is a research design that uses explicit methods to identify, select, appraise and synthesize results from similar but separate studies?

Answer 30

systematic review

Question 31

T/F systematic review does not focus on a specific question

Answer 31

FALSE it does!

Question 32

What is considered to be be the strongest level of evidence (gold standard)?

Answer 32

Systematic Review of RCTs

Question 33

T/F not all review articles are systematic reviews

Answer 33

True

Question 34

What would be a good source of information on the background of a specific topic?

Answer 34

Traditional narrative review

Question 35

What is missing from a Traditional narrative review?

Answer 35

it doesn’t include a detailed description of the methods/criteria used to select and evaluate articles that are includes

Question 36

What are Four steps that differentiate a systematic review from a narrative review?

Answer 36

1. identify ALL evidence on the topic 2. select them 3. appraise the quality of these evidence 4. summarize them

Question 37

What is a statistical method of combining a large collection of results from individual studies called?

Answer 37

Meta-analysis

Question 38

Meta-analysis develops what?

Answer 38

uses quantitative methods to develop a single overall estimate of the intervention effect

Question 39

Why is a meta-analysis useful?

Answer 39

useful to provide important results when several smaller studies are not sufficient to demonstrate meaningful outcomes

Question 40

T/F All systematic reviews use meta-analysis (explain)

Answer 40

False, some do - it can be very powerful tool for synthesizing information across multiple studies - it can also be misleading if the studies are not appropriately combined some don't - systematic review may have to be sufficient to qualitatively synthesize the information when measurements are inconsistent or comparisons do not make sense

Question 41

What are the subjects of a systematic review?

Answer 41

The studies themselves

Question 42

What types of requirements do selection criteria specify?

Answer 42

Inclusion and exclusion requirements for studies to be used for the review

Question 43

What are selection criteria based on?

Answer 43

Based on the types of: 1. studies 2. participants 3. interventions 4. outcomes

Question 44

What type of studies are considered gold standard and that authors restrict systematic reviews of interventions to?

Answer 44

RCTs

Question 45

Put in order from highest level of evidence (1) to lowest: | Case-control/RCT/Case/Cohort studies

Answer 45

1. RCTs 2. Cohort studies 3. Case-control studies 4. Case series

Question 46

T/F Systematic reviews have to set reasonable ranges for subject characteristics

Answer 46

True, because study populations can be so variable

Question 47

Selection criteria based on types of interventions must do what?

Answer 47

indicate definitions of interventions and comparison treatment (if relevant) because studies are rarely consistent in the application of interventions

Question 48

Selection criteria based on types of outcome measures must do what?

Answer 48

must indicate the choice of outcome measures because included studies will often have a variety of outcomes

Question 49

Mean difference as type of outcome measure -

Answer 49

effect measures for randomized controlled trials

Question 50

Odds ratio (OR) / Relative Risk (RR) as type of outcome measure -

Answer 50

measures of association for observational studies

Question 51

Standardized Effect Size (SES) as type of outcome measure -

Answer 51

– it evaluates how big or small an effect is when the units of measurement aren’t intuitive – it compares the results across studies

Question 52

What is the goal when searching for studies?

Answer 52

The goal is to find a comprehensive list of relevant documents that should be considered (must indicate in report which databases were used and specific search terms entered)

Question 53

Issues of publication bias with available literature: (@)

Answer 53

Issues are: 1. researchers may fail to submit the results of studies where the results are not statistically significant 2. editors may decline to publish such studies - > bias against negative or inconclusive results

Question 54

Why must Evidence of no effect must be part of the picture?

Answer 54

because the value of systematic review is to broaden the evidence for or against a proposed outcome

Question 55

What are 4 possible bias in conducting a systematic review?

Answer 55

1. Selection bias 2. Performance bias 3. Attrition bias 4. Detection bias

Question 56

Include studies that adhere to the _____ for clinical trials or the ______ for observational studies

Answer 56

consort statement for clinical trials | strobe statement for observational trials

Question 57

What rating scales can be used to assess the quality of a study? How many reviewers?

Answer 57

JADAD scale / PEDro scale / QUADAS scale | -> at least 2 primary reviewers will independently assess and rate

Question 58

T/F When synthesizing the data, you must determine the degree of heterogeneity or homogeneity in the included studies

Answer 58

True, [Heterogeneity – dissimilarity in specific aspects of the studies]

Question 59

What is inclused in the discussion and conclusions section?

Answer 59

1. overall conclusions based on the quality of evidence that was obtained 2. Integrate the findings to clarify the state of knowledge in a clinical context

Question 60

Meta-analysis results are presented in what type of plot? Helps to do what?

Answer 60

Forest plot - Helps combine the results quantitatively and obtain a single summary result

Question 61

Forest plot can answer questions of:

Answer 61

1. what is the direction of effect 2. what is the size of effect 3. whether the effects are consistent across studies

Question 62

T/F Forest plot is only as good as the studies in it

Answer 62

True

Question 63

Where can you find find independent, high quality evidence of systematic review

Answer 63

Cochrane Library - with topics including movement disorders, wounds, stroke, neuromuscular disease, back problems, developmental and learning problems, bone and joint trauma, and HIV/AIDS - with rigorous standards developed to ensure these reviews provide accurate and thorough appraisals of the literature