When searching for evidence-based information, one should select the highest level of evidence possible--systematic reviews or meta-analysis. Systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and critically-appraised topics/articles have all gone through an evaluation process: they have been "filtered". Show
Information that has not been critically appraised is considered "unfiltered". As you move up the pyramid, however, fewer studies are available; it's important to recognize that high levels of evidence may not exist for your clinical question. If this is the case, you'll need to move down the pyramid if your quest for resources at the top of the pyramid is unsuccessful. Image Credit: Glover, Jan; Izzo, David; Odato, Karen & Lei Wang. EBM Pyramid. Dartmouth University/Yale University. 2006.
IntroductionOne way to organize the different types of evidence involved in evidence-based practice research is the levels of evidence pyramid. The pyramid includes a variety of evidence types and levels.
The levels of evidence pyramid provides a way to visualize both the quality of evidence and the amount of evidence available. For example, systematic reviews are at the top of the pyramid, meaning they are both the highest level of evidence and the least common. As you go down the pyramid, the amount of evidence will increase as the quality of the evidence decreases. EBM Pyramid and EBM Page Generator, copyright 2006 Trustees of Dartmouth College and Yale University. All Rights Reserved. Filtered ResourcesFiltered resources appraise the quality of studies and often make recommendations for practice. The main types of filtered resources in evidence-based practice are:
Scroll down the page to the Systematic reviews, Critically-appraised topics, and Critically-appraised individual articles sections for links to resources where you can find each of these types of filtered information. Systematic reviewsAuthors of a systematic review ask a specific clinical question, perform a comprehensive literature review, eliminate the poorly done studies, and attempt to make practice recommendations based on the well-done studies. Systematic reviews include only experimental, or quantitative, studies, and often include only randomized controlled trials. You can find systematic reviews in these filtered databases:
You can also find systematic reviews in this unfiltered database:
To learn more about finding systematic reviews, please see our guide: Critically-appraised topicsAuthors of critically-appraised topics evaluate and synthesize multiple research studies. Critically-appraised topics are like short systematic reviews focused on a particular topic. You can find critically-appraised topics in these resources:
Critically-appraised individual articlesAuthors of critically-appraised individual articles evaluate and synopsize individual research studies. You can find critically-appraised individual articles in these resources:
To learn more about finding critically-appraised individual articles, please see our guide: Unfiltered resourcesYou may not always be able to find information on your topic in the filtered literature. When this happens, you'll need to search the primary or unfiltered literature. Keep in mind that with unfiltered resources, you take on the role of reviewing what you find to make sure it is valid and reliable. Note: You can also find systematic reviews and other filtered resources in these unfiltered databases. The Levels of Evidence Pyramid includes unfiltered study types in this order of evidence from higher to lower:
You can search for each of these types of evidence in the following databases:
TRIP database
Background information & expert opinionBackground information and expert opinions are not necessarily backed by research studies. They include point-of-care resources, textbooks, conference proceedings, etc.
What type of evidence is the strongest in the hierarchy of research evidence?Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses
Well done systematic reviews, with or without an included meta-analysis, are generally considered to provide the best evidence for all question types as they are based on the findings of multiple studies that were identified in comprehensive, systematic literature searches.
What is the best hierarchy of evidence?Systematic reviews are generally considered as the strongest form of evidence as they summarise and synthesise the findings of multiple studies identified in comprehensive, systematic literature searches. Systematic reviews that contain meta-analyses provide the most reliable summary of evidence on a topic.
What are the strongest types of evidence?7. Direct Evidence. The most powerful type of evidence, direct evidence requires no inference and directly proves the fact you are investigating. The evidence alone is the proof, if you believe the accounts.
Which type of evidence is considered to be the strongest according to the evidence hierarchy quizlet?The strongest possible evidence according to this hierarchy comes from SYSTEMIC REVIEWS that integrate findings from multiple Randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
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