Evidence-based Medicine in General Practice
Authors: D P B McGovern, W S Summerskill, R McManus, M Levi and R M Valori
Now this is an excellent book, only 158 pages long, yet it presents all the common concepts in EBM in an easy to read format and in "bite-sized chunks". These days it is impossible to read a clinical journal or understand the results of clinical trials without some knowledge of statistics; for example p values, number needed to treat, etc. etc. and this book explains them all in language even I, as a non-mathematician, can understand. Principals and GP registrars who are working for the MRCGP examination will find it invaluable.
Following a brief introduction, the design of trials is explored with the various different types being compared and contrasted. Sources of information on the www are listed and methods of searching are discussed. Then there is a comprehensive section on interpretation of results and finally we are shown how EBM dovetails with clinical practice.
After each chapter there may be suggestions for further reading and/or related topics of interest elsewhere in the book. The authors have not omitted to mention the limitations and disadvantages of EBM but the book finishes on an optimistic note in anticipation of the positive effects it will have in the medicine of the future.
| Publisher: | BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd.
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| ISBN: 1-85996-282-3
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| Reviewer: | Dr Jeremy M Sager
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| Month of review: | November 2002
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