Asking the right questions

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Asking the right questions

• Easy ?

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Triggers

• Individual patients
• Group initiatives
• Topical issues
• National initiatives

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Is the Question Right?

• Will the answer help me?
• Will the answer help the patient?
• Will the answer help the community at large
• Is the question amenable to an answer?
• Is it defined tightly enough

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• Remember the adage about tests
• Will the result affect patient management?
• The same is true of EBM questions
• Will the answer affect my patients management

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Questions Have Parts

• By critically analysing a question one can ensure
  we are asking the right question
• By breaking the question into its parts one
  creates a ready made search strategy

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Question Components

• The patient or problem
• The intervention
• Comparison with what etc
• Outcome one is concerned about

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Analysis Grid
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Example 1

• A TV programme has highlighted a hospital in
  Suffolk in which a stroke unit has been set up
  that specialises in the treatment of patients who
  have suffered strokes. The hospital trust wants
  to know about the effectiveness of stroke units
  in terms of lives saved before deciding whether
  to invest in one.

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Or
Do stroke units save lives ?
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Example 2

• A acute cough is a common reason for patients to
  consult their GP. The causes of acute cough
  varies a lot. In GP the treatment often includes
  antibiotics. The effectiveness of Abx is
  questionable and there has been a great deal of
  concern about bacterial resistance from
  over-prescribing.

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Or
Do antibiotics shorten a acute cough in primary
care?