Evidence Based Practice I Week 2 - Comprehensive Literature Searches

• "Prediction" in research identifies expectations for the future.
• Many studies claim "predictive" qualities when they are associative or correlative.
• "Prediction" differs from "causation".
• Patients undergoing surgery post-ankle sprain may experience longer recovery times.
• The severity of an ankle sprain, not necessarily the surgery, causes prolonged recovery.
• Concluding that surgery causes prolonged recovery is an incorrect cause-and-effect interpretation.
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) often determine cause-and-effect.
• Establishing causality is possible when randomization isn't an option.

Question Types

• Descriptive questions describe the landscape.
• Descriptive questions use data to provide a quantitative summary of certain world features.
• Predictive questions aim to learn about the future using present information, using a longitudinal study design.
• Predictive questions form expectations of what is likely to happen in the future.
• Causal questions aim to find treatment targets.
• Causal questions identify factors increasing condition/injury risk.
• Causal questions estimate the effects of one treatment compared to another.

Question Types and Study Designs

• Descriptive questions use cross-sectional population surveys to assess prevalence.
• Descriptive questions utilize longitudinal population surveys to determine incidence.
• Descriptive questions employ clinical notes reviews for practice audits and case mix analysis.
• Descriptive questions leverage health systems data review to understand the cost of illness.
• Descriptive questions rely on longitudinal observational cohorts and cross-sectional studies for clinical/natural course insights.
• Descriptive questions use qualitative studies to understand patient experiences.
• Predictive questions employ cross-sectional/longitudinal population surveys for risk or prognostic models.
• Predictive questions use clinical notes review and health systems data review for various insights.
• Predictive questions utilize longitudinal observational cohorts and cross-sectional studies.
• Predictive questions use qualitative studies.
• Causal questions employ randomized/quasi-randomized controlled trials, controlled cohort studies, and natural experiments for treatment effectiveness.
• Causal questions use longitudinal studies, case-control studies, and natural experiments for treatment targets.
• Causal questions use mediation analyses in longitudinal studies or randomized controlled trials to determine treatment effect mechanisms or pathological mechanisms.

Google Scholar and PubMed

• Google Scholar includes sources beyond peer-reviewed articles.
• Use quotation marks in PubMed for specificity.

Boolean Search

• Use "and" to separate words or phrases.

Google Scholar and PubMed 2

• Google Scholar helps find other relevant articles and studies that cite a specific study.
• Limit searches with timeframes.
• You can click on author(s) names to explore other studies they conducted.

PubMed – MeSH

• MeSH = medical subject headings
• Be aware of other terms that are related to original search terms
• MeSH helps narrow down searches.

PubMed – Clinical Queries

• Uses predefined filters to help find clinical or disease-specific topics.

Google Scholar and PubMed Part 3

• Searching by date
  • Search for newest evidence
  • Older studies may still hold value

PEDro

• Physiotherapy evidence database
• Specific to PT (Physical Therapy)

APTA Searches

• Utilizes APTA resources.
• Search in Clinical Practice Guidelines.
• Search Clinical Summaries.
• APTA Journal.

Cochrane Searches

• Systematic reviews specifically.
• Plain language summaries.
• Search through Cochrane Library.
• Includes PICOs:
  • Population.
  • Intervention.
  • Comparison.
  • Outcomes.

AHRQ Searches

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Sync Session

• Factors creating a placebo effect:
  • Confidence.
  • Beliefs.
  • Misinformation/miseducation.
  • Source of information (multiple).
• Factors facilitating a nocebo effect:
  • Emotions.
  • Overdramatizing a treatment/procedure/product.
• Physical therapists should use the placebo effect to their advantage.
• Physical therapists should prevent nocebo effects by refining language and deterring focusing on negativity.

Reporting Bias

• Whether researchers attempt to publish findings depends upon what those findings are.

Prediction refers to the identification of expectations for the future. Predictive questions form expectations of what is likely to happen in the future. Establishing causality is possible even when randomization isn't an option.