Subject Guide on Effectively Reading Medical Literature

Contents

Introduction

Learning to effectively read medical literature is almost a science unto itself – and critical skill. The practice of medicine is constantly changing and health care practitioners (and journalists and the public) need to be able critically appraise the information, and decide whether or not to incorporate it into practice based on the strength of the evidence and methods.

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Journal Articles

BMJ's How to Read a Paper series by author Trisha Greenhalgh is available full text at the BMJ website. This includes the following 10 articles:

  1. How to read a paper. The Medline database. BMJ 315(7101): 180-83, Jul 19, 1997.
  2. How to read a paper. Getting your bearings (deciding what the paper is about). BMJ 315(7102): 243-46, Jul 26,1997.
  3. How to read a paper: Assessing the methodological quality of published papers. BMJ 315(7103): 305-08, Aug 2, 1997.
  4. How to read a paper. Statistics for the non-statistician. I: Different types of data need different statistical tests. BMJ 315(7104): 364-66, Aug 9, 1997.
  5. How to read a paper. Statistics for the non-statistician. II: "Significant" relations and their pitfalls. BMJ 315(7105): 422-25, Aug 16, 1997.
  6. How to read a paper. Papers that report drug trials. BMJ 315(7106): 480-83, Aug 23, 1997.
  7. How to read a paper: Papers that report diagnostic or screening tests. BMJ 315(7107): 540-43, Aug 30, 1997. [Correction appears in BMJ 315(7113): 942, Oct 11, 1997.]
  8. How to read a paper. Papers that tell you what things cost (economic analyses). BMJ 315(7108): 596-99, Sep 6, 1997.
  9. How to read a paper. Papers that summarise other papers (systematic reviews and meta-analyses).
  10. How to read a paper: Papers that go beyond numbers (qualitative research). BMJ 315(7110): 740-43, Sep 20, 1997. Co-authored by Trisha Greenhalgh and Rod Taylor.
These articles were excerpts of the following book:

How to read a paper: the basics of evidence based medicine. Trisha Greenhalgh. London: BMJ, 1997. 5th Floor Books R118.6 .G74 1997 (2nd edition at UCSD via Circuit: W 20.5 G813h 2001)

JAMA's Users' Guides to the Medical Literature Series

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a series of 25 articles between 1993 and 2000. The more recent articles in this series, Users Guides to the Medical Literature are available full text at the JAMA website but the early aricticles are only available in print in the library (R15.A48).

Guyatt GH, Haynes RB, Jaeschke RZ, Cook DJ, Green L, Naylor CD, Wilson MC, Richardson WS. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXV. Evidence-based medicine: principles for applying the Users' Guides to patient care. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 284(10):1290-6, 2000 Sep 13.


Richardson WS, Wilson MC, Williams JW Jr, Moyer VA, Naylor CD. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIV. How to use an article on the clinical manifestations of disease. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 284(7):869-75, 2000 Aug 16.


Giacomini MK, Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care B. What are the results and how do they help me care for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 284(4):478-82, 2000 Jul 26.


Giacomini MK, Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 284(3):357-62, 2000 Jul 19.


McGinn TG, Guyatt GH, Wyer PC, Naylor CD, Stiell IG, Richardson WS. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXII: How to use articles about clinical decision rules. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA.284(1):79-84, 2000 Jul 5.


Hunt DL, Jaeschke R, McKibbon KA. Users' guides to the medical literature: XXI. Using electronic health information resources in evidence-based practice. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 283(14):1875-9, 2000 Apr 12.


McAlister FA, Straus SE, Guyatt GH, Haynes RB. Users' guides to the medical literature: XX. Integrating research evidence with the care of the individual patient. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 283(21):2829-36, 2000 Jun 7.


McAlister FA. Laupacis A. Wells GA. Sackett DL. Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: XIX. Applying clinical trial results B. Guidelines for determining whether a drug is exerting (more than) a class effect. JAMA. 282(14):1371-7, 1999 Oct 13.


Bucher HC. Guyatt GH. Cook DJ. Holbrook A. McAlister FA. Users' guides to the medical literature: XIX. Applying clinical trial results. A. How to use an article measuring the effect of an intervention on surrogate end points. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 282(8):771-8, 1999 Aug 25.


Randolph AG. Haynes RB. Wyatt JC. Cook DJ. Guyatt GH. Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: XVIII. How to use an article evaluating the clinical impact of a computer-based clinical decision support system. JAMA. 282(1):67-74, 1999 Jul 7.


Barratt A. Irwig L. Glasziou P. Cumming RG. Raffle A. Hicks N. Gray JA. Guyatt GH. Users' guides to the medical literature: XVII. How to use guidelines and recommendations about screening. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 281(21):2029-34, 1999 Jun 2.


Guyatt GH. Sinclair J. Cook DJ. Glasziou P. Users' guides to the medical literature: XVI. How to use a treatment recommendation. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group and the Cochrane Applicability Methods Working Group. JAMA. 281(19):1836-43, 1999 May 19.


Richardson WS. Wilson MC. Guyatt GH. Cook DJ. Nishikawa J. Users' guides to the medical literature: XV. How to use an article about disease probability for differential diagnosis. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 281(13):1214-9, 1999 Apr 7.


Dans AL. Dans LF. Guyatt GH. Richardson S. Users' guides to the medical literature: XIV. How to decide on the applicability of clinical trial results to your patient. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group [see comments]. JAMA. 279(7):545-9, 1998 Feb 18.


O'Brien BJ. Heyland D. Richardson WS. Levine M. Drummond MF. Users' guides to the medical literature. XIII. How to use an article on economic analysis of clinical practice. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group [published erratum appears in JAMA 1997 Oct 1;278(13):1064]. JAMA. 277(22):1802-6, 1997 Jun 11.


Drummond MF. Richardson WS. O'Brien BJ. Levine M. Heyland D. Users' guides to the medical literature. XIII. How to use an article on economic analysis of clinical practice. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 277(19):1552-7, 1997 May 21.


Guyatt GH. Naylor CD. Juniper E. Heyland DK. Jaeschke R. Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature. XII. How to use articles about health-related quality of life. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 277(15):1232-7, 1997 Apr 16.


Naylor CD. Guyatt GH. Users' guides to the medical literature. XI. How to use an article about a clinical utilization review. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 275(18):1435-9, 1996 May 8.


Naylor CD. Guyatt GH. Users' guides to the medical literature. X. How to use an article reporting variations in the outcomes of health services. The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 275(7):554-8, 1996 Feb 21.


Guyatt GH. Sackett DL. Sinclair JC. Hayward R. Cook DJ. Cook RJ. Users' guides to the medical literature. IX. A method for grading health care recommendations. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group [published erratum appears in JAMA 1996 Apr 24;275(16):1232]. JAMA. 274(22):1800-4, 1995 Dec 13.


Wilson MC. Hayward RS. Tunis SR. Bass EB. Guyatt G. Users' guides to the Medical Literature. VIII. How to use clinical practice guidelines. B. what are the recommendations and will they help you in caring for your patients? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 274(20):1630-2, 1995 Nov 22-29.


Hayward RS. Wilson MC. Tunis SR. Bass EB. Guyatt G. Users' guides to the medical literature. VIII. How to use clinical practice guidelines. A. Are the recommendations valid? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 274(7):570-4, 1995 Aug 16.


Richardson WS. Detsky AS. Users' guides to the medical literature. VII. How to use a clinical decision analysis. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 273(20):1610-3, 1995 May 24-31.


Richardson WS. Detsky AS. Users' guides to the medical literature. VII. How to use a clinical decision analysis. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 273(16):1292-5, 1995 Apr 26.


Oxman AD. Cook DJ. Guyatt GH. Users' guides to the medical literature. VI. How to use an overview. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group [see comments]. JAMA. 272(17):1367-71, 1994 Nov 2.


Laupacis A. Wells G. Richardson WS. Tugwell P. Users' guides to the medical literature. V. How to use an article about prognosis. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 272(3):234-7, 1994 Jul 20.


Levine M. Walter S. Lee H. Haines T. Holbrook A. Moyer V. Users' guides to the medical literature. IV. How to use an article about harm. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 271(20):1615-9, 1994 May 25.


Jaeschke R. Guyatt GH. Sackett DL. Users' guides to the medical literature. III. How to use an article about a diagnostic test. B. What are the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 271(9):703-7, 1994 Mar 2.


Jaeschke R. Guyatt G. Sackett DL. Users' guides to the medical literature. III. How to use an article about a diagnostic test. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 271(5):389-91, 1994 Feb 2.


Guyatt GH. Sackett DL. Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature. II. How to use an article about therapy or prevention. B. What were the results and will they help me in caring for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 271(1):59-63, 1994 Jan 5.


Guyatt GH. Sackett DL. Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature. II. How to use an article about therapy or prevention. A. Are the results of the study valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 270(21):2598-601, 1993 Dec 1.


Guyatt GH. Rennie D. Users' guides to the medical literature [editorial]. JAMA. 270(17):2096-7, 1993 Nov 3.


Oxman AD. Sackett DL. Guyatt GH. Users' guides to the medical literature. I. How to get started. The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 270(17):2093-5, 1993 Nov 3.

These articles were the basis of the following book, available at SDSU:

Users' guides to the medical literature: a manual for evidence-based clinical practice. The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group; edited by Gordon Guyatt and Drummond Rennie. Chicago, IL : AMA Press, c2002.
Location: RA427 .U84 2002 5th Floor Books; CDR-758 Media Center

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Books

Search the SDSU Library catalog, the PAC, for books that discuss evaluating epidemiological literature. A good place to start is with using the following LC Subject Headings:

A few of the books available in the SDSU library are:

Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare : a guide to best practice; B Mazurek Melnyk and E Fineout-Overholt. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Location: RT42 .M44 2005 5th Floor Books; CDR-1248 Media Center

Evidence based nursing : a guide to clinical practice; A DiCenso, G Buyatt, and D Ciliska. St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Location: RT85.5 E95 2005 5th Floor Books; CDR-1354 Media Center

Users' guides to the medical literature: essentials of evidence-based clinical practice; The Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group; edited by G Guyatt and D Rennie. Chicago, IL: AMA Press. Location: RA427 .U847 2002 5th Floor Books

Making sense of critical appraisal; A Ajetunmobi. New York: Oxford University Press. Location: R852 A34x 2002 5th Floor Books

Evidence-informed nursing : a guide for clinical nurses; edited by R McSherry, M Simmons and P Abbott. London: Routledge, 2002. Location: RT42 .E96 2002 5th Floor Books

Studying a Study And Testing a Test: How to Read The Medical Evidence. 4th ed.; RK Riegelman. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Location: R118.6 .R537 2000 5th Floor Books; CDR-483 Media Center

Evidence-based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. 2nd ed.; DL Sackett, et al. Edinburgh; New York: Churchill Livingstone. Location: RA652.2.C55 E95 2000 5th Floor Books; CDR-449 Media Center

Knowledge for Health Care Practice: A Guide To Using Research Evidence; SJ Brown. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.
Location: R853.R46 B76 1999 5th Floor Books

Evidence-based Clinical Practice: Concepts and Approaches; JP Geyman, RA Deyo and SD Ramsey, eds. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann. Location: RC48 .E94 2000 5th Floor Books

Systematic Reviews: Synthesis of Best Evidence for Health Care Decisions; CD Mulrow and D. Cook. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Physicians. Location: R853.S94 S95 1998 5th Floor Books

Interpreting the medical literature; SH Gehlbach. New York: McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division.
Location: R118.6 .G43 1993 5th Floor Books

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Other Web Resources

Users' Guides to Evidence Based Practice -- Centre for Health Evidence (CHE)
Sponsored by the University of Alberta, the CHE engages in projects and partnerships that promote practice-based evidence. This site includes the JAMA series "Users' Guides to the Medical Literature."

A Student's Guide to the Medical Literature
This comprehensive guide was prepared by a fourth year medical student at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and edited by library faculty of the Denison Memorial Library.

 
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