HLT Week 1 Content

HLT205 Week 1 Content
Reading: Introduction to Research in the Health Sciences (preface)

Why do I need to know about research in order to be an effective health
professional?
 A key foundation of clinical practice is the use of research evidence
concerning what works with whom in health care settings.
 Health and medical science knowledge is being generated and changing
clinical practice at a very high rate
 You need to know about new research and research methods so that you can
make sound decisions about integrating the major volume of new clinical
knowledge into your practice, and discontinuing old and less effective
practices.
 Bloom 2005 “The objective of physician continuing medical education is to
help them keep abreast of advances in patient care, to accept new more-
beneficial care, and discontinue use of existing lower-benefit diagnostic and
therapeutic interventions”.
 A consequence of this investment in health and medical research is a strong
growth in new knowledge and hence a requirement for new approaches to
health problems to be taken by clinicians, although the numbers of
publications do not reflect the major changes in practice which have occurred
over the last few decades.
 Effective practice requires lifelong learning so that practitioners are up to date.
 Clinical guidelines identify, summarize, and evaluate the highest quality
evidence about prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. The purpose of
clinical guidelines is, through the standardization of evidence-based care, to
improve quality, reduce risk and to maximise clinical effectiveness and
efficiency.
 A key part of intelligent use of guidelines is to understand the evidentiary
basis for them and how they are constructed.
 Access to appropriate, relevant and quality health information is a critical
component of building individuals’ confidence to care for themselves, to
maintain good physical and mental health and well-being and to seek help
when they need it. Consumer health information encompasses the range of
information services and resources needed by individuals, on their own behalf
or on behalf of others, to enable them to:
o Make informed choices about health and well-being
o Make informed choices about treatment and care
o Improve adherence to treatments
o Manage conditions
o Access services
o Navigate their way through the complexity of the health and care
system.
Polgar S, Thomas SA. Preface. In: Polgar S, Thomas SA, eds. Introduction to
Research in the Health Sciences. 6th ed. Edinburgh Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier;
2013:vii-ix.
Reading: Understanding research methods for evidence-based practice in health

Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
It is the ‘conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making
decisions about the care of individual patients’ (Understanding research methods for
evidence-based practice in health, 2019).
1. Best possible research evidence
The higher the level of evidence, the better the evidence is.
2. Clinical Expertise
Takes into consideration your experiences (personal and professional), to help guide
you in how to best care for your clients
3. Patient values and preferences
From clinical experience you may be aware of the ‘best possible treatment’, but
when you explain it to a client, they might prefer an alternative treatment, or their
values/religious beliefs might not permit the suggested treatment. As you are treating
your clients, their values and preferences should be the first consideration. If you are
working in rural or remote locations, you also need to consider whether ‘best
practice’ is available – you may have to seek alternative treatments because of
accessibility.
What is research?
 Focused, systematic enquiry aimed at generating new knowledge
Five essential steps in the emerging science of EBP

1. To convert our information needs into answerable questions (ASK)
2. To track down, with maximum efficiency, the best evidence with which to
answer these questions (AQUIRE)
- This may come from the clinical exam, diagnostic lab, published literature
or other sources
3. To appraise the evidence critically, assess its validity (closeness to truth) and
usefulness (clinical applicability) (APPRAISE)
4. To implement the results of this appraisal in clinical practice (APPLY)
5. To assess our performance (EVALUATE)
EBP requires you not only to read papers, but ready the right papers at the right time
and then alter your behaviour accordingly and influence the behaviour of other
people in light of what you have found.
Greenhalgh added to the steps above to create a ‘context-sensitive’ checklist for

EBP to incorporate the clients perspective.
Where do indigenous knowledges fit in terms of evidence? Albert Wiggan TEDX

There is knowledge embedded in cultural practices and systems which can be used
to create changes benefiting everyone including the values important to indigenous
culture. Indigenous knowledge should be integrated into mainstream processes, as it
is a system of management which has existed for 60,000 years.
Indigenous science is the application and intersection of Indigenous knowledge and

science. Western science tends to refer to indigenous knowledge as ‘traditional
ecological knowledge’. It is the foundations of knowledge that was developed
through the same principles as western knowledge (i.e. observation,
experimentation, analysis).

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HLT205 Week 1 Content

Reading: Introduction to Research in the Health Sciences (preface)

Reading: Understanding research methods for evidence-based practice in health

1. Best possible research evidence

3. Patient values and preferences

Five essential steps in the emerging science of EBP

Greenhalgh added to the steps above to create a ‘context-sensitive’ checklist for

Where do indigenous knowledges fit in terms of evidence? Albert Wiggan TEDX

Indigenous science is the application and intersection of Indigenous knowledge and

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