Abstract
This chapter provides an introduction to the concept of Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) including its history, rooted in Canada and its important role in modern medicine. The chapter both defines EBM and explains the process of conducting EBM. It includes a discussion of the hierarchy of evidence that exists with reference to common methods used to assess the levels of quality inherent in study designs. The focus of the chapter is on how to critically appraise the medical literature, as one step in the EBM process. Critical appraisal requires an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of study design and how these in turn impact the validity and applicability of research findings. Strong critical appraisal skills are critical to evidence-based decision-making.
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References
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Additional EBM Resources: Online Resources
JAMA User Guides. http://www.jamaevidence.com
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) Oxford, UK. http://www.cebm.net/
Critical Appraisal Skills Programs (CASP) Oxford, UK. http://www.Students4bestevidence.net/
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Evidence updates from the BMJ Evidence Centre: a collaboration between McMaster University and the BMJ Group. https://plus.mcmaster.ca/evidenceupdates/Default.aspx
Additional EBM Resources: Textbook Resources
Sackett DL, Straus S, Richardson S, Rosenberg W, Haynes RB (2000) Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach EBM, 2dth edn. Churchill Livingstone, London
Strauss S, Glasziou P, Scott Richardson W, Brian Hayes R (2011) Evidence-based medicine: How to practice and teach it, 4th edn. Churchill Livingstone, London
Guyatt G, Rennie D. eds. (2002). Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: A Manual for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association (3rd edition due out in September 2014])
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McKibbon A, Wilczynski N (2009) PDQ evidence-based principles and practice, 2nd edn. McGraw-Hill, Europe
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Twells, L.K. (2015). Evidence-Based Decision-Making 1: Critical Appraisal. In: Parfrey, P., Barrett, B. (eds) Clinical Epidemiology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1281. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2428-8_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2428-8_23
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