Applying the evidence

Format: 2-2 Comparison groups should be similar

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Language/s: 3-5 How certain is the evidence?

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Resource Link: View the Lesson

Target Audience: 3-1 Do the outcomes measured matter to you?

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3-2 Are you very different from the people studied?

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Short Description:

Six key slides produced by the University of Western Australia on applying evidence in practice.

Key Concepts addressed:

• 1-2 Anecdotes are unreliable evidence
• 2-6 Peoples' outcomes should be assessed similarly
• 2-12 Subgroup analyses may be misleading
• 2-13 Relative measures of effects can be misleading
• 2-14 Average measures of effects can be misleading

Details

This resource on applying evidence in practice has been produced by the University of Western Australia.

Introduction

Even if research evidence has internal validity, it often applies to the ‘ideal’ patient who has been selected for a clinical trial, and estimates an ‘average’ benefit for that patient. However, to decide whether you can apply that evidence to your patient, you must consider:

• that individual’s characteristics, preferences, values
• the environment in which you practice
• the practitioner’s expertise and familiarity with an intervention

You are now looking at external validity.

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