Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine

CEBM has a new Levels of Evidence Table. Read this introduction before using the new (June 2010) Levels Table - Steps in finding evidence (“Levels”) for different types of questions.

As the intro notes, The ''levels" are essentially a heuristic, or short-cut to finding the likely best evidence.

Your feedback to the originators is welcome.

Evidence-based health care and consumers

Leaders in the evidence-based healthcare movement are working to engage the consumer as an important stakeholder. (For example, visit Healthcare Users in Cochrane and the Cochrane Consumer Network

Here's another example:

Advocacy in the Era of Evidence: An International Summit for Consumer Advocates held in conjunction with the 2010 Cochrane and Campbell Joint Colloquium.

Open to the public, this is a unique opportunity for consumers to meet with leaders in the evidence-based healthcare movement for the purpose of building meaningful partnerships and exchanging ideas.

For more information, please contact Janie Gordon jlgordon@jhsph.edu

Evidence Based Nursing Journal - a different format

If you love the Evidence Based Nursing journal, as I do, you will notice several changes in 2010 with the 13th volume. Find out about their new format and rationale.

Articles will be published on the journal's BMJ website as they are available. The structured abstract will be replaced with a link to the abstract of the original article being discussed, allowing more space for the commentary. EBN's Purpose and Procedure reflects these changes.

Here's a farewell message from the previous editorial team, noting the cessation of the production of the journal at McMaster University and its transfer.

Having been a fan of the journal since the "get-go", I'll be taking a careful look at this evolution. You, too, are welcome to chime in with your opinion!

Policymakers - an excellent series for you

The journal Health Research Policy and Systems has published a wonderful series of articles "written for people responsible for making decisions about health policies and programmes and for those who support these decision makers."

Access this theme issue, Volume 7, Supplement 1 (16 December 2009) free online.

SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP)
Guides
Edited by Andy Oxman and Stephen Hanney

Writing up research?

You may be interested in the National Library of Medicine's Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives: By Organization

Haynes "5S" Model AND "6S" model

This concise and useful powerpoint presentation is based on R. Brian Haynes' "Of studies, syntheses, synopses, summaries, and systems: the “5S” evolution of information services for evidence-based healthcare decisions." Evid Based Med 2006;11:162-164 doi:10.1136/ebm.11.6.162-a (Also found in Evid Based Nurs 2007;10:6-7 doi:10.1136/ebn.10.1.6)

This guide was created to assist the nursing students of Valparaiso University by Prof. Trisha Mileham, 08/07.

But wait - there is a 6S Model! (pdf):
Evid Based Nurs 2009;12:99-101 doi:10.1136/ebn.12.4.99-b
EBN notebook: Accessing pre-appraised evidence: fine-tuning the 5S model into a 6S model by Alba DiCenso, Liz Bayley, R Brian Haynes

GRADE workshop

An upcoming workshop of interest: The GRADE approach to Diagnostic Tests and Strategies.
February 12, 2010
Montreal
$250

The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation) group has been doing great work for nearly a decade now, developing a common, sensible and transparent approach to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Their approach is increasingly being adopted worldwide. Check out their website for additional information.

Systematic Reviews

Good information in a nutshell. Intended for librarians, but good for all, especially the links:
Systematic Reviews - Getting Started with Your Patrons