How to Read a Paper: The Basics... | Buy

How to Read a Paper is one of the bestselling texts on evidence-based medicine, used by health care professionals and medical students worldwide. Trisha Greenhalgh's ability to explain the basics of evidence-based medicine in an accessible and readable way means the book is an ideal introduction for all, from first year students to experienced practitioners. This is a text that explains the meaning of critical appraisal and terms such as 'numbers needed to treat', 'how to search the literature', 'evaluate the different types of papers' and 'put the conclusions to clinical use'. New features of the third edition include: New discussion putting evidence-based medicine into the current context, with more emphasis on patient perspectives Increased coverage of qualitative research in evidence-based medicine New information on literature sources and search mechanisms

Trisha Greenhalgh is Professor of Primary Health Care at University College, London and a practising GP. Her main areas of interest are

- Web based teaching and learning, especially for health care professionals
- Evidence based health care and quality improvement, especially in relation to multiprofessional and interdisciplinary working
- Health service management, especially organisation, delivery and evaluation of diabetes services in primary care
- Use of personal narrative to explore the patient's perspective and illness experience, especially in relation to diabetes in minority ethnic groups

Foreword to the First Edition by Professor Sir David Weatherall,

ix

Preface to the Third Edition,

xi

Preface to the First Edition: do you need to read this book?

xiii

Acknowledgements,

xv

Chapter 1: Why read papers at all?

1

(14)

1.1 Does 'evidence-based medicine' simply mean 'reading papers in medical journals'?

1

(2)

1.2 Why do people often groan when you mention evidence-based medicine?

3

(6)

1.3 Before you start: formulate the problem,

9

(6)

Chapter 2: Searching the literature,

15

(25)

2.1 Searching for evidence: key principles,

15

(2)

2.2 Medline and other 'raw' databases,

17

(3)

2.3 Databases with search filters,

20

(1)

2.4 Databases of pre-appraised articles,

21

(2)

2.5 Databases of synthesised evidence,

23

(1)

2.6 Databases of ongoing research,

24

(1)

2.7 Citation searching,

24

(1)

2.8 Human contact sources,

25

(1)

2.9 Worked examples of search problems,

26

(14)

Chapter 3: Getting your bearings: what is this paper about?

40

(19)

3.1 The science of 'trashing' papers,

40

(2)

3.2 Three preliminary questions to get your bearings,

42

(2)

3.3 Randomised controlled trials,

44

(5)

3.4 Cohort studies,

49

(1)

3.5 Case-control studies,

50

(1)

3.6 Cross-sectional surveys,

51

(1)

3.7 Case reports,

52

(1)

3.8 The traditional hierarchy of evidence,

53

(1)

3.9 A note on ethical considerations,

53

(6)

Chapter 4: Assessing methodological quality,

59

(14)

4.1 Was the study original?

59

(1)

4.2 Whom is the study about?

60

(1)

4.3 Was the design of the study sensible?

61

(1)

4.4 Was systematic bias avoided or minimised?

62

(4)

4.5 Was assessment 'blind'?

66

(1)

4.6 Were preliminary statistical questions addressed?

67

(3)

4.7 Summing up,

70

(3)

Chapter 5: Statistics for the non-statistician,

73

(17)

5.1 How can non-statisticians evaluate statistical tests?

73

(1)

5.2 Have the authors set the scene correctly?

74

(5)

5.3 Paired data, tails and outliers,

79

(2)

5.4 Correlation, regression and causation,

81

(2)

5.5 Probability and confidence,

83

(3)

5.6 The bottom line,

86

(2)

5.7 Summary,

88

(2)

Chapter 6: Papers that report drug trials,

90

(10)

6.1 'Evidence' and marketing,

90

(2)

6.2 Making decisions about therapy,

92

(1)

6.3 Surrogate end points,

93

(3)

6.4 How to get evidence out of a 'drug rep'

96

(4)

Chapter 7: Papers that report diagnostic or screening tests,

100

(14)

7.1 Ten men in the dock,

100

(1)

7.2 Validating diagnostic tests against a gold standard,

101

(4)

7.3 Ten questions to ask about a paper which claims to validate a diagnostic or screening test,

105

(5)

7.4 A note on likelihood ratios,

110

(4)

Chapter 8: Papers that summarise other papers (systematic reviews and meta-analyses),

114

(20)

8.1 When is a review systematic?

114

(3)

8.2 Evaluating systematic reviews,

117

(5)

8.3 Meta-analysis for the non-statistician,

122

(4)

8.4 Explaining heterogeneity,

126

(4)

8.5 New approaches to systematic review,

130

(4)

Chapter 9: Papers that tell you what to do (guidelines),

134

(18)

9.1 The great guidelines debate,

134

(3)

9.2 How can we help ensure that evidence-based guidelines are followed?

137

(5)

9.3 Ten questions to ask about a clinical guideline,

142

(10)

Chapter 10: Papers that tell you what things cost (economic analyses),

152

(14)

10.1 What is economic analysis?

152

(2)

10.2 Measuring costs and benefits of health interventions,

154

(5)

10.3 Ten questions to ask about an economic analysis,

159

(4)

10.4 Conclusion,

163

(3)

Chapter 11: Papers that go beyond numbers (qualitative research),

166

(14)

11.1 What is qualitative research?

166

(4)

11.2 Evaluating papers that describe qualitative research,

170

(7)

11.3 Conclusion,

177

(3)

Chapter 12: Papers that report questionnaire research,

180

(11)

12.1 The rise and rise of questionnaire research,

180

(1)

12.2 Ten questions to ask about a paper describing a questionnaire study,

181

(10)

Chapter 13: Getting evidence into practice,

191

(21)

13.1 Why are health professionals slow to adopt evidence-based practice?

191

(2)

13.2 How can we influence health professionals' behaviour to promote evidence-based practice?

193

(5)

13.3 What does an 'evidence-based organisation' look like?

198

(2)

13.4 What evidence-based interventions are there for achieving organisational change to support evidence-based practice?

200

(5)

13.5 Why is it so hard to get evidence into policy making?

205

(7)

Appendix 1: Checklists for finding, appraising and implementing evidence,

212

(8)

Appendix 2: Assessing the effects of an intervention,

220

(1)

Index,

221

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