Evidence Based Health Care in Old Age Psychiatry

1997 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sube Banerjee ◽  
Edward Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry ◽  
The Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Evidence Based Health Care

Objective: The purpose of this article is to present the current status and future needs of old age psychiatry in relation to evidence-based health care. Method: The opportunities and difficulties of evidence-based medicine as applied to old age psychiatry are described. Depression is used as a specific example. The role of the Cochrane Collaboration and of clinical guidelines in dealing with these difficulties are discussed. Results: There has been a tendency for drug studies to focus on younger age groups and to exclude patients with comorbidity or polypharmacy. Aspects of clinical management separate from drugs are given insufficient attention. The generalizability of current studies is a problem in old age psychiatry. Conclusions: Psychiatry is no less part of medicine than any other specialty. Increased attention to studies of effectiveness, as opposed to efficacy, is indicated. The Cochrane Collaboration is an international network which promotes and conducts systematic reviews of the effectiveness of health care. Systematic reviews can increase the generalizability of the current knowledge base and better define the needs for future research.

Evidence-Based Practice: The Cochrane Collaboration, and Occupational Therapy

1998 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn L. Hayes ◽  
John J. McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trials ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
The Cochrane Collaboration

This paper describes how occupational therapists can become involved in the Cochrane Collaboration — a well-developed tool for facilitating the involvement of health professionals and lay people in evidence-based practice. The Cochrane Collaboration is a growing international project intended to systematically locate, conduct systematic reviews (including metaanalyses) of, and disseminate information on all available randomised controlled trials of interventions in any area of health. In particular, occupational therapists can use the Cochrane Collaboration to become better informed about best practice and evaluate research in their areas of interest, and learn skills related to conducting randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.

Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Collaboration and Hand Therapy

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen HG Handoll ◽  
Rajan Madhok ◽  
Tracey E Howe
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Hand Therapy ◽  
Health Care Interventions ◽  
Cochrane Reviews ◽  
The Cochrane Collaboration

This paper describes the work of the Cochrane Collaboration in producing systematic reviews of health care interventions. It examines the present and potential relevance of Cochrane reviews to clinicians providing hand therapy and gives some pointers for those who wish to take a more active role in evaluating the evidence for their clinical practice.

scholarly journals Can methods applied in medicine be used to summarize and disseminate conservation research?

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
IOAN FAZEY ◽  
JANET G. SALISBURY ◽  
DAVID B. LINDENMAYER ◽  
JOHN MAINDONALD ◽  
ROBERT DOUGLAS
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
New Methods ◽  
The Cochrane Collaboration ◽  
Independent Organization

To ensure that the best scientific evidence is available to guide conservation action, effective mechanisms for communicating the results of research are necessary. In medicine, an evidence-based approach assists doctors in applying scientific evidence when treating patients. The approach has required the development of new methods for systematically reviewing research, and has led to the establishment of independent organizations to disseminate the conclusions of reviews. (1) Such methods could help bridge gaps between researchers and practitioners of environmental conservation. In medicine, systematic reviews place strong emphasis on reviewing experimental clinical trials that meet strict standards. Although experimental studies are much less common in conservation, many of the components of systematic reviews that reduce the biases when identifying, selecting and appraising relevant studies could still be applied effectively. Other methods already applied in medicine for the review of non-experimental studies will therefore be required in conservation. (2) Using systematic reviews and an evidence-based approach will only be one tool of many to reduce uncertainty when making conservation-related decisions. Nevertheless an evidence-based approach does complement other approaches (for example adaptive management), and could facilitate the use of the best available research in environmental management. (3) In medicine, the Cochrane Collaboration was established as an independent organization to guide the production and dissemination of systematic reviews. It has provided many benefits that could apply to conservation, including a forum for producing and disseminating reviews with emphasis on the requirements of practitioners, and a forum for feedback between researchers and practitioners and improved access to the primary research. Without the Cochrane Collaboration, many of the improvements in research communication that have occurred in medicine over the last decade would not have been possible.

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