Evidence-based practice is a clinical strategy that involves integrating clinical expertise and research so that each informs the other, thus providing clients with the best possible care.
Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence-based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available clinical evidence from systematic research(Sackett, et al., 1996)
Evidence-based research questions often ask: What is the evidence for the effectiveness of [the intervention] for [the outcome] in patient with [problem or diagnosis]?
The Western Library provides access to a number of databases and resources (listed below) that are intended to help you locate high quality evidence and information quickly and efficiently.
There are also additional resources and tips included in the other pages of this LibGuide and, of course, there are also many resources available via the open web.
"occupational therapy" or "occupation*"
"intervention" or "interventions" or "program"
"community" or "group" or "population"
Peer reviewed / scholarly sources
Publication dates (last 5 years is a good ballpark to look for, if possible)
Population and audience (you may not be able to find an exact match, but it's still good to keep in mind)
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Abstract |
Summary of the article |
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Introduction |
Topic and scope of the article |
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Literature Review |
Prior research or existing theories |
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Methods and Data Collection |
How the research was conducted and data gathered |
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Analysis and Results |
Findings of the study |
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Discussion |
What the results mean |
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Conclusion |
What was learned, implications for practice |
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Bibliography |
List of research sources consulted |
Author, publisher, publication
Publication date, currency of information
Evidence, peer review
Research methods used
Sample size, generalizability
| Quantitative | Qualitative | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | investigations in which numbers are used to measure variables such as characteristics, concepts or things | investigations which use sensory methods such as listening or observing to gather and organize data into patterns or themes |
| Word Clues | Experiment, trial, cohort, control group, experimental group, randomized controlled trial (RCT) | Field notes, focus group, observations, phenomenological, ethnographic, open-ended |
| Methods |
define hypothesis, define methodology, collect data, analyze data |
Focus groups, interviews, recording behavior, observations |
| Data | Measurable, numbers, statistics | Descriptive, interpretive, narrative, text-based |
*Mixed Methods uses both quantitative and qualitative
Different kinds of sources may provide more reliable evidence than others. Unfortunately there are not necessarily "rules" that make something reliable or not, but there are some common factors that can help you make an informed evaluation. As a practitioner, it's important to evaluate your evidence with a critical eye as you look for the best possible evidence to support your practice.
| Factors generally strengthening reliability | Factors potentially weakening reliability |
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*Of course, this all assumes a source's relevance to your situation/search and the availability of all these different kinds of sources on every topic. Unfortunately, this isn't always true. See below for further explanation.
The pyramid shows the levels of evidence, with the highest/strongest levels of evidence near the top and the weaker levels of evidence at the bottom. So for example the strongest types of evidence are considered evidence based summaries of topics and Clinical practice guidelines, while opinions are considered the weakest form of evidence.
When searching for evidence to guide patient care, start with a search for the highest levels of evidence. If no evidence exists for your research question at the highest levels you move down the pyramid until you locate evidence that addresses your research question. This method saves you time as you search and also means that you will end up with the highest quality information available.
Ballard, M., Carlock, D., & Rock, S. (n.d.). Evidence Based Nursing Practice. Maricopa Community College. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://learn.maricopa.edu/courses/804760. CC BY.
Sackett, D. L., Rosenberg, W. M. C., Gray, J. A. M., Haynes, R. B., & Richardson, W. S. (1996). Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. British Medical Journal, 312(7023). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A17899229/PPNU?u=la74598&sid=bookmark-PPNU&xid=a40b6a17.
