Prognosis in Physical Therapy

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Questions and Answers

What is prognosis in the context of physical therapy?

The process of predicting a patient's future condition

What is an example of a potential future problem that patients may develop?

Skin breakdown as a result of sensation loss

What is the ultimate outcome that physical therapists predict about an impairment?

The outcome of an impairment in body structures or functions

What do physical therapists predict about the results of their interventions?

The results produced by interventions Signup and view all the answers

What is tied to a time line in predicting the results of physical therapy interventions?

The number of days or weeks Signup and view all the answers

What do prognostic estimates respond to?

Questions posed by patients and their families Signup and view all the answers

What is a common question that patients and therapists ask about?

Will I walk without a walker again? Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a treatment response prognosis?

Predicting how long it takes for a patient to regain sensation in their hand Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of randomization of subjects to groups in a study?

To create groups with equally distributed characteristics Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to conceal each subject's group assignment from the people enrolling individuals in the study?

To prevent interference with the randomization process Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of verifying that the groups have similar sociodemographic, clinical, and prognostic characteristics at the start of the study?

To confirm that the randomization process was successful Signup and view all the answers

Where is the information about group equality typically found in a research paper?

In the section describing subjects or in the results section Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of masking subjects to their group assignment?

To reduce bias in the study Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of using a randomized allocation process in a study?

It is the assignment method most likely to reduce bias Signup and view all the answers

What should readers do if concealment of group assignment is not explicitly stated in the paper?

Assume that concealment was not performed Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of evaluating the characteristics of the groups at the start of the study?

To confirm that the groups are equal Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential problem that can arise from unequal distribution of subject characteristics among groups?

Alternative explanations for the study's results Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of a decrease in sample size?

Undermined statistical power Signup and view all the answers

Why is noncompliance a problem in a study?

It can lead to biased results Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of an intention-to-treat analysis?

To include noncompliant subjects in the analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential limitation of a study if it only uses a single sample?

The findings may not generalize to other samples Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to confirm findings with a new set of subjects?

To ensure the findings are not unique to the original sample Signup and view all the answers

What can happen if subjects are not compliant with the protocol for their assigned group?

The results may be biased Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of attrition in a study?

Decreased statistical power Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of an experimental design?

To provide a structure for evaluating cause-and-effect relationships Signup and view all the answers

What type of research is the only one that can establish a true cause-and-effect relationship?

Experimental research Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the independent variable in an experimental design?

It is the variable being manipulated by the researcher Signup and view all the answers

What is the dependent variable in an experimental design?

The outcome variable being measured Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of an experimental design?

It involves the manipulation of an independent variable Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of incorporating elements of control in an experimental design?

To ensure that the evidence supporting a causal relationship can be interpreted with confidence Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of experimental research?

To establish a cause-and-effect relationship Signup and view all the answers

What is the key feature that distinguishes experimental research from other types of research?

The manipulation of an independent variable Signup and view all the answers

What can cause a difference in the dependent variable besides the independent variable?

Intervening or confounding variables Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of random assignment in completely randomized designs?

To create independent groups Signup and view all the answers

What type of design involves subjects acting as their own control?

Within-subject design Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a single-factor design and a two-factor design?

The number of independent variables Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for multifactor designs that involve random assignment?

Factorial design Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of using a randomized block design?

It reduces the effect of extraneous variables Signup and view all the answers

Why are multifactor designs with more than three independent variables rarely used in clinical studies?

They are too complex Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between a between-subject design and a within-subject design?

The comparison being made Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Prognosis and Prognostic Factors

Prognosis is the process of predicting a patient's future condition, including the risk of developing a future problem, ultimate outcome, and results of physical therapy interventions.
Examples of potential future problems include skin breakdown, re-injury, and falls.
Prognostic factors are subsets of the prediction of ultimate outcomes and are formulated in response to questions posed by patients and their families.

Appraising Evidence about Prognostic Factors

To appraise evidence, investigators should consider several factors, including:
- Randomization of subjects to groups
- Concealment of group assignment during enrollment
- Similarity of sociodemographic, clinical, and prognostic characteristics at the start of the study
- Masking (or blinding) of subjects to their group assignment
- Intention-to-treat analysis in case of attrition
- Confirmation of findings with a new set of subjects

Experimental Design

The purpose of an experimental design is to provide a structure for evaluating the cause-and-effect relationship between independent and dependent variables.
Experimental design is the only type of research that can establish truly the cause-and-effect relations.
Within the design, the researcher manipulates the levels of the independent variable and incorporates elements of control.

Variables of the Study

Dependent variables (DV) are the outcome the investigator measures, expected to change in response to manipulation of the independent variable.
Independent variables (IV) are the conditions that the investigator is able to manipulate.
Intervening or confounding variables are factors other than the independent variable that can cause differences in the dependent variable.

Types of Experimental Designs

Completely randomized designs use random assignment to create independent groups.
Randomized block designs divide subjects into homogeneous blocks based on attribute variables, then randomly assign them to treatment groups.
Within-subject designs or repeated measures designs use subjects as their own control.
Designs can be single-factor, two-factor, three-factor, or multifactor, depending on the number of independent variables.
Factorial designs involve random assignment and multiple independent variables.

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