Lecture 2 Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)?
The conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the best current evidence in making decisions about individual patient care, integrating clinical expertise with research and patient values
What are the five steps of EBM?
- Ask a clinical question
- Acquire the best evidence
- Appraise the evidence
- Apply the evidence
- Assess the outcome
What are common models of EBM?
Evidence Appropriatism (ideal use of best-suited evidence)
Evidence Nihilism (rejecting action without conclusive proof)
Evidence Agendaism (selectively using evidence to support a bias)
How do you form a scientific question using PICO?
P: Patient/Population/Problem
I: Intervention
C: Comparison
O: Outcome
What are the two main types of research in the EBM landscape?
Experimental studies: Involve interventions (e.g., RCTs)
Observational studies: Observe without intervention (e.g., case-control, cohort)
What are outcome measures in EBM?
Validated tools used to assess change in patient status. Common ones include pain scales, disability indices (NDI, Oswestry), and quality of life tools (SF-36).
Why are outcome measures important?
They allow researchers to quantify changes and evaluate treatment effectiveness over time.
What are MeSH terms and why are they important?
Medical Subject Headings used for indexing articles in databases like PubMED and Medline to enhance search precision.
What is “reference tracking”?
Checking cited sources for accuracy, publication quality, and relevance to confirm claims made in an article.
: What is bias in research?
Systematic error in thinking or method that leads to inaccurate conclusions.
What are types of cognitive bias?
Confirmation bias
Anchoring bias
Availability heuristic
Dunning-Kruger effect
Bandwagon effect.
What is reflexivity in research?
Researchers reflect on their own beliefs and influence on the study process.
What is triangulation?
Using multiple data sources or methods to validate research findings.
What is a push survey?
A biased survey designed to influence responses by using loaded or leading questions.
What is the placebo effect?
A beneficial outcome from an inactive treatment due to patient belief.
What is the nocebo effect?
A negative outcome resulting from the belief that a harmless treatment will cause harm.
What is the goal of qualitative studies?
To understand human experiences and behaviors by exploring beliefs, values, and context rather than measuring variables.
Why is qualitative research important in EBM?
It provides context, depth, and meaning to clinical data, especially for patient-centered care.
What is black and white literature?
Indexed, peer-reviewed scientific journals with high credibility and impact factors.
What is grey literature?
Non-indexed publications like reports, policy documents, and conference papers; often valuable but variable in quality.
Why is ethics important in research?
Ensures participant safety, informed consent, and fair treatment. Studies involving humans/animals must be reviewed by an Ethics Review Board.
