Hierarchy of Evidence

A key concept for your literature review.

The purpose of a literature review is to identify the existing body of research that has addressed a problem and clarify the gaps in knowledge that require further research. 1

The term levels of evidence refers to what degree that information can be trusted. 1

1 Buckingham JB Greenhalgh T. Searching the literature. In: Greenhalgh T. How to read a paper: the basics of evidence-based medicine.5th ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons; 2014.

Levels of Evidence

The Hierarchy of EvidenceDecision support systemsProblem focused,

multiple questions

Simple, single questions

Hierarchy of Single StudiesRandomised controlled trials

A new proposed evidence-based medicine pyramid

M Hassan Murad et al. Evid Based Med doi:10.1136/ebmed-2016-110401

©2016 by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd

Hierarchy of Evidence

The hierarchy of evidence is:

•A hierarchy of the likely best evidence•Designed to be used as a shortcut by busy clinicians and researchers to find the best evidence•Assists researchers to conduct their own rapid appraisal

University of Oxford, Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. (2011). The 2011 Oxford CEBM levels of evidence: introductory document. Retrieved from: http://www.cebm.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CEBM-Levels-of-Evidence-Introduction-2.1.pdf

Systematic Reviews

http://guides.is.uwa.edu.au/systematic_reviews

Key Players: Australia

JBI Connect

Produce systematic reviews and best practice guidelines.

JBI COnNect+ Database

Key Players: International

Cochrane Collaboration

Systematic Reviews and

RCT’sCochrane Database

Evidence-based guidelines & summaries

• Developed by synthesising the highest level of evidence available on treatment choices• Guidelines provide recommendations

supported by that evidence•May take into account resources and practices

relevant to the organisation• Concise and clinically relevant

Where do I find evidence?

• PubMed/MEDLINE• Embase/PsychInfo

• Cochrane/JBI • TRIP/OvidMD

• BMJ Best Practice

• ClinicalKey

• UpToDate

• ETG Complete

See: Resources for Answering Clinical Questions

ACQ Resources Guidehttp://guides.is.uwa.edu.au/acqresources

Contact the University Library

http://library.uwa.edu.au

9346 7570 – Medical and Dental Library

hmslibrarians-lib@uwa.edu.au

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