The databases below will help you find evidence to answer your research question.
Key Databases:
Additional Resources:
Your goal is to find the highest level and most appropriate type of evidence for your clinical question.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are the highest level of evidence and should always be sought after when researching patient care. See the Types of Evidence tab for more detailed descriptions of each type of study.
"Most appropriate" means the most rigorous type of research methodology which is best suited to answer a particular type of question.
See the Types of Questions tab for more details about which types of evidence are most appropriate for different clinical questions.
Content in this box adapted from New Literacies Alliance Evidence Based Practice module, used under CC-BY-NC-SA.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Secondary research collects and analyzes primary research results. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials are better at assessing strength of evidence than single studies and should be used if available. The databases below will help you find this type of research.
Case Controlled Studies
Case-Controlled Studies identify patients who have the outcome of interest (cases) and patients without the same outcome (controls), and look back to see if they had the exposure of interest.
Randomized Controlled Trials
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) participants are randomly allocated into an experimental group or a control group and followed over time for the variables/outcomes of interest.
Cohort Studies
A Cohort Study identifies two groups (cohorts) of patients, one that received the exposure of interest, and one that did not, and follows these cohorts forward for the outcome of interest.
Case Series and Case Reports
Case Series report on multiple patients with an outcome of interest. No control group is involved. A Case Report covers an individual patient.
Editorials, Expert Opinion
Editorials offer the judgment of respected authorities or expert committees. They are not a research methodology.
The type of question determines the type of research studies that could legitimately offer evidence enabling you to determine an answer. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews, when available, often provide the best answers to clinical questions. However, these are not available for every question you might encounter. Below you can read about several types of clinical questions and see the types of studies that are appropriate for answering each question. When selecting studies, give priority to the studies highest on the evidence pyramid.
Harm
What disease or condition could result from exposure to this potentially harmful thing?
Seek evidence from Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT), then Cohort Studies, then Case-Controlled Studies, and finally Case Series.
Prognosis
What is the patient's likely clinical course over time and what are likely complications of a particular disease or condition?
Seek evidence from Cohort Studies, then Case Control, then Case Series or Case Reports.
Treatment
For a disease or condition will this treatment do more good than harm?
How does it compare to other treatment(s)?
Seek evidence from RCT.
Diagnosis
How good is this diagnostic test at confirming or excluding a particular diagnosis?
Seek evidence from a special kind of controlled trial called a prospective, blind controlled trial in comparison to a gold standard.
Prevention
Is this a risk factor for developing a particular disease or condition?
Seek evidence from RCT, then Cohort Studies, then Case Series.
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