Understanding Clinical Papers

For two decades, Understanding Clinical Papers has been helping students and professionals understand the research that supports evidence-based practice. Now in its fourth edition, this popular introductory textbook covers every major aspect of reading and evaluating clinical research literature, from identifying the aims and objectives of a paper to analysing the data with different multivariable methods. Numerous excerpts from actual clinical research papers make learning real and immediate, supported by a unique visual approach that reinforces key points and connects examples with the chapter material.  The fourth edition includes extensively revised content throughout, including four brand-new chapters covering qualitative studies, Poisson regression, studies of complex interventions, and research using previously collected data. New and updated material discusses the difference between clinical and statistical significance, the consequences of multiple testing and methods of correction, how topic guides are used to explore and explain participants' experiences, standardised guidelines for writing trials and reviews, and much more. Offering clear explanations of important research-related topics, this reader-friendly resource:  Offers a clear, concise, and accessible approach to learning how to read and analyse clinical research literature  Features new coverage of qualitative research, including descriptive studies, sampling and populations, and identifying, summarising, and measuring qualitative characteristics   Provides new material on missing data, sub-group analysis, feasibility and pilot studies, cluster randomised trials, and adaptive trial designs  Includes new tables, abstracts, and excerpts from recent clinical research literature  Understanding Clinical Papers is essential reading for all healthcare professionals and students, particularly those involved in clinical work and medical research, as well as general readers wanting to improve their understanding of research literature. 

Table of Contents:
Preface to the First Edition vii Preface to the Second Edition ix Preface to the Third Edition xi Preface to the Fourth Edition xii Part I Setting the Scene: Who Did What, and Why 1 1 Some Preliminaries 3 2 The Abstract and Introduction 8 3 The Aims and Objectives 15 Part II Design Matters: What Type of Study Is It? 21 4 Descriptive Studies: Qualitative 23 5 Descriptive Studies: Quantitative 29 6 Analytic Studies 36 7 Intervention Studies 45 8 Mixed Methods Research 57 9 Studies of Complex Interventions 60 10 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 65 11 Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies 75 Part III The Cast: Finding Out About the Subjects of the Research 79 12 The Research Setting 81 13 Populations and Samples in Quantitative Research 85 14 Research Using Already-Collected Data 90 15 The Sample in Qualitative Research 95 16 Identifying and Defining Cases 99 17 Controls and Comparisons 102 Part IV Establishing The Facts: Starting With Basic Observations 107 18 Identifying the Characteristics of Quantitative Data 109 19 Summarizing the Characteristics of Quantitative Data 116 20 Identifying and Summarising the Characteristics of Qualitative Data 121 21 Measuring the Characteristics of Participants: Quantitative 124 22 Measuring the Characteristics of Participants: Qualitative 130 23 Diagnostic Tests: Measuring the Characteristics of Measures 133 24 Measurement Scales 138 25 Exploring and Explaining: Topic Guides 150 Part V Establishing More of the Facts: Some Common Ways of Describing Results 153 26 Fractions, Proportions, and Rates 155 27 Risks and Odds 157 28 Ratios of Risks and Odds 160 Part VI Analysing the Data: Estimation and Hypothesis Testing 167 29 Confidence Intervals for Means, Proportions, and Medians 169 30 Confidence Intervals for Ratios 176 31 Testing Hypotheses – The p-value 181 Part VII Analysing the Data: Multivariable Methods 197 32 Measuring Association 199 33 Measuring Agreement 206 34 Linear Regression 211 35 Logistic Regression 222 36 Poisson Regression 228 37 Measuring Survival 237 38 Analysing Qualitative Data 244 Part VIII Reading Between the Lines: How Authors Use Text, Tables, and Pictures to Tell You the Story 249 39 Results in Text and Tables 251 40 Results in Pictures 260 41 The Discussion and Conclusions 270 References 274 Index 282

About the Author :
DAVID BOWERS, Medical Statistician, University of Leeds Medical School, UK. ALLAN HOUSE, Professor, Director of Leeds Institute of Health Science, University of Leeds, UK. DAVID OWENS, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, Leeds Institute of Health Science, University of Leeds, UK. BRIDGETTE BEWICK, Senior Lecturer in Health Research, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, UK.