Week 2- Introduction to Evidence

Question 1

What is a background question?

Answer 1

Ask for general knowledge/basic information about a condition (disease or disease prognosis). Does not make clinical decision about patient.

Question 2

What is a foreground question?

Answer 2

Ask for specific knowledge to inform clinical decisions or actions

Question 3

What are the different types of foreground questions?

Answer 3

PICO, PECOT and PICo

Question 4

Describe the PICO question format

Answer 4

Patient/population
Intervention
Comparison of intervention
Outcome

Question 5

Describe the PECOT question format

Answer 5

Patient/population
Exposure (intervention)
Comparison of intervention
Outcome
Time frame

Question 6

Describe the PICo question format

Answer 6

Patient/problem
Interest
Context

Question 7

What are common databases used in clinical practice?

Answer 7

• Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE)
• Cochrane Library
• Anatomy tv
• Medline
• PubMed
• Embase

Question 8

Why shouldn’t you use the library catalogue when looking for information?

Answer 8

• Databases don’t update regularly
• Great variability, searches can’t be recorded, no one can replicate research
• Not transparent. Transparency reduces research bias

Question 9

What is grey literature?

Answer 9

Research sourced from other sources (government, business)

Question 10

What is black literature?

Answer 10

Research that is published in peer-reviewed journals

Question 11

What is the differences between black and grey literature?

Answer 11

• Black literature is research published in peer reviewed journals. It can be biased towards popular/positive findings
• Grey literature sourced from “other” sources (government, business, industry)

Question 12

What should you consider when analysing evidence?

Answer 12

Accuracy: reliability of information
Authority: source of information
Currency: timeliness of information
Purpose: possible bias presented in information
Relevance: depth and importance of information

Question 13

What are types of quantitative research designs?

Answer 13

Descriptive studies
-Case report
-Case series
-Surveys
Observational studies
-Cross sectional
-Case control
-Cohort studies
Experimental Studies
-Clinical trials

Question 14

What is descriptive studies?

Answer 14

Start of research process, describes trends and generates hypothesis

Question 15

What is observational studies?

Answer 15

• Data is collected about the participants, no active intervention
• Describe size of disease or characteristics of participants