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Quality Research (quality + research)
Selected AbstractsResearching Quality in Emergency MedicineACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2002Kenneth E. Bizovi MD Research aimed at promoting quality of medical care must be quality research. This paper addresses issues of study design that can affect the validity of such research. The authors draw on previous research about medical errors,recognizing that issues of study design pertaining to medical errors apply to other research on quality of care and, indeed, to clinical research in general. The November 2000 Special Issue of Academic Emergency Medicine addressed medical errors in emergency medicine. In that issue, Kyriacou and Coben described three categories of research on medical errors: 1) research aimed at describing the magnitude of the problem; 2) research identifying causal factors for medical errors; and 3) research evaluating interventions aimed at improving quality of care. These three categories correspond to research methodologies that are, respectively, 1) descriptive; 2) qualitative; and 3) analytic. This article discusses challenges to the validity of each type of research and suggests some possible solutions to these problems. In addition, the article reviews projects that illustrate important issues in research quality. Three research projects are discussed: 1) a published project evaluating an intervention aimed at improving quality; 2) a quality improvement project that is transformed into a research project; and 3) a quality monitoring research project that exemplifies how a statistical technique borrowed from industry can offer a unique solution to quality challenges in medicine. Each of these projects demonstrates some of the challenges in researching quality and their solutions. [source] Trends, challenges and opportunities in power quality researchEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL POWER, Issue 1 2010Math H. J. Bollen Abstract This paper outlines a number of possible research directions in power quality. The introduction of new sources of generation will introduce the need for new research on voltage,magnitude variations, harmonic emission and harmonic resonance. Statistical performance indicators are expected to play an important role in addressing the hosting capacity of the power system for these new sources. The quickly growing amounts of power-quality data call for automatic analysis methods. Advanced signal-processing tools need to be developed and applied to address this challenge. Equipment with an active power-electronic interface generates waveform distortion at higher frequencies than existing equipment. The emission, spread, consequences and mitigation of this distortion require more research emphasis. The growing complexity of the power system calls for remote identification of system events and load transitions. Future DC networks, at different voltage levels, require the research on DC power quality next to AC power quality. Research on methods to describe and analyse time-varying harmonics has applications in a number of the above-mentioned issues. So does the use of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and real-time-digital simulation. Existing power quality standards should not form a barrier against future research; instead research should result in improved standards as well as completely new concepts. Examples are: voltage dips in three-phase systems, flicker due to non-incandescent lamps, and voltage variations on the timescale between 1,second and 10,minutes. All together, it is concluded in this paper that sufficient important and interesting research challenges and opportunities remain in the power quality area. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia: a systematic reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2007L. Robinson Abstract Background Wandering occurs in 15,60% of people with dementia. Psychosocial interventions rather than pharmacological methods are recommended, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited and there are ethical concerns associated with some non-pharmacological approaches, such as electronic tracking devices. Objective To determine the clinical and cost effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia. Design A systematic review to evaluate effectiveness of the interventions and to assess acceptability and ethical issues associated with their use. The search and review strategy, data extraction and analysis followed recommended guidance. Papers of relevance to effectiveness, acceptability and ethical issues were sought. Results (i) Clinical effectiveness. Eleven studies, including eight randomised controlled trials, of a variety of interventions, met the inclusion criteria. There was no robust evidence to recommend any intervention, although there was some weak evidence for exercise. No relevant studies to determine cost effectiveness met the inclusion criteria. (ii) Acceptability/ethical issues. None of the acceptability papers reported directly the views of people with dementia. Exercise and music therapy were the most acceptable interventions and raised no ethical concerns. Tracking and tagging devices were acceptable to carers but generated considerable ethical debate. Physical restraints were considered unacceptable. Conclusions In order to reduce unsafe wandering high quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions that are practically and ethically acceptable to users. It is important to establish the views of people with dementia on the acceptability of such interventions prior to evaluating their effectiveness through complex randomised controlled trials. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Data management and quality assurance for an International project: the Indo,US Cross-National Dementia Epidemiology StudyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 6 2002Rajesh Pandav Abstract Background Data management and quality assurance play a vital but often neglected role in ensuring high quality research, particularly in collaborative and international studies. Objective A data management and quality assurance program was set up for a cross-national epidemiological study of Alzheimer's disease, with centers in India and the United States. Methods The study involved (a) the development of instruments for the assessment of elderly illiterate Hindi-speaking individuals; and (b) the use of those instruments to carry out an epidemiological study in a population-based cohort of over 5000 persons. Responsibility for data management and quality assurance was shared between the two sites. A cooperative system was instituted for forms and edit development, data entry, checking, transmission, and further checking to ensure that quality data were available for timely analysis. A quality control software program (CHECKS) was written expressly for this project to ensure the highest possible level of data integrity. Conclusions This report addresses issues particularly relevant to data management and quality assurance at developing country sites, and to collaborations between sites in developed and developing countries. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Randomized controlled trials of interventions to change maladaptive illness beliefs in people with coronary heart disease: systematic reviewJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2010Lucy Goulding goulding l., furze g. & birks y. (2010) Randomized controlled trials of interventions to change maladaptive illness beliefs in people with coronary heart disease: systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(5), 946,961. Abstract Title.,Randomized controlled trials of interventions to change maladaptive illness beliefs in people with coronary heart disease: systematic review. Aim., This paper is a report of a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of interventions to change maladaptive illness beliefs in people with coronary heart disease, and was conducted to determine whether such interventions were effective in changing maladaptive beliefs, and to assess any consequent change in coping and outcome. Background., An increasing body of evidence suggests that faulty beliefs can lead to maladaptive behaviours and, in turn, to poor outcomes. However, the effectiveness of interventions to change such faulty illness beliefs in people with coronary heart disease is unknown. Data sources., Multiple data bases were searched using a systematic search strategy. In addition, reference lists of included papers were checked and key authors in the field contacted. Review methods., The systematic review included randomized controlled trials with adults of any age with a diagnosis of coronary heart disease and an intervention aimed at changing cardiac beliefs. The primary outcome measured was change in beliefs about coronary heart disease. Results., Thirteen trials met the inclusion criteria. Owing to the heterogeneity of these studies, quantitative synthesis was not practicable. Descriptive synthesis of the results suggested that cognitive behavioural and counselling/education interventions can be effective in changing beliefs. The effects of changing beliefs on behavioural, functional and psychological outcomes remain unclear. Conclusion., While some interventions may be effective in changing beliefs in people with coronary heart disease, the effect of these changes on outcome is not clear. Further high quality research is required before firmer guidance can be given to clinicians on the most effective method to dispel cardiac misconceptions. [source] Psychosocial treatments for people with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance misuse: systematic reviewJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2009Michelle Cleary Abstract Title.,Psychosocial treatments for people with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance misuse: systematic review. Aim., This study is a report of a systematic review to assess current evidence for the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for reducing substance use, as well as improving mental state and encouraging treatment retention, among people with dual diagnosis. Background., Substance misuse by people with a severe mental illness is common and of concern because of its many adverse consequences and lack of evidence for effective psychosocial interventions. Data sources., Several electronic databases were searched to identify studies published between January 1990 and February 2008. Additional searches were conducted by means of reference lists and contact with authors. Review methods., Results from studies using meta-analysis, randomized and non-randomized trials assessing any psychosocial intervention for people with a severe mental illness and substance misuse were included. Results., Fifty-four studies were included: one systematic review with meta-analysis, 30 randomized controlled trials and 23 non-experimental studies. Although some inconsistencies were apparent, results showed that motivational interviewing had the most quality evidence for reducing substance use over the short term and, when combined with cognitive behavioural therapy, improvements in mental state were also apparent. Cognitive behavioural therapy alone showed little consistent support. Support was found for long-term integrated residential programmes; however, the evidence is of lesser quality. Contingency management shows promise, but there were few studies assessing this intervention. Conclusion., These results indicate the importance of motivational interviewing in psychiatric settings for the reduction of substance use, at least in the short term. Further quality research should target particular diagnoses and substance use, as some interventions may work better for some subgroups. [source] Globalisation and science education: Rethinking science education reformsJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 5 2005Lyn Carter Like Lemke (J Res Sci Teach 38:296,316, 2001), I believe that science education has not looked enough at the impact of the changing theoretical and global landscape by which it is produced and shaped. Lemke makes a sound argument for science education to look beyond its own discourses toward those like cultural studies and politics, and to which I would add globalisation theory and relevant educational studies. Hence, in this study I draw together a range of investigations to argue that globalisation is indeed implicated in the discourses of science education, even if it remains underacknowledged and undertheorized. Establishing this relationship is important because it provides different frames of reference from which to investigate many of science education's current concerns, including those new forces that now have a direct impact on science classrooms. For example, one important question to investigate is the degree to which current science education improvement discourses are the consequences of quality research into science teaching and learning, or represent national and local responses to global economic restructuring and the imperatives of the supranational institutions that are largely beyond the control of science education. Developing globalisation as a theoretical construct to help formulate new questions and methods to examine these questions can provide science education with opportunities to expand the conceptual and analytical frameworks of much of its present and future scholarship. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Citation levels and collaboration within library and information scienceJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Jonathan M. Levitt Collaboration is a major research policy objective, but does it deliver higher quality research? This study uses citation analysis to examine the Web of Science (WoS) Information Science & Library Science subject category (IS&LS) to ascertain whether, in general, more highly cited articles are more highly collaborative than other articles. It consists of two investigations. The first investigation is a longitudinal comparison of the degree and proportion of collaboration in five strata of citation; it found that collaboration in the highest four citation strata (all in the most highly cited 22%) increased in unison over time, whereas collaboration in the lowest citation strata (un-cited articles) remained low and stable. Given that over 40% of the articles were un-cited, it seems important to take into account the differences found between un-cited articles and relatively highly cited articles when investigating collaboration in IS&LS. The second investigation compares collaboration for 35 influential information scientists; it found that their more highly cited articles on average were not more highly collaborative than their less highly cited articles. In summary, although collaborative research is conducive to high citation in general, collaboration has apparently not tended to be essential to the success of current and former elite information scientists. [source] The effectiveness of exercise interventions for people with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysisMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 5 2008Victoria A. Goodwin MSc Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the physical, psychological, social, and functional status of individuals. Exercise programs may be an effective strategy to delay or reverse functional decline for people with PD and a large body of empirical evidence has emerged in recent years. The objective is to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the effectiveness of exercise interventions on outcomes (physical, psychological or social functioning, or quality of life) for people with PD. RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by systematic searching of electronic databases. Key data were extracted by two independent researchers. A mixed methods approach was undertaken using narrative, vote counting, and random effects meta-analysis methods. Fourteen RCTs were included and the methodological quality of most studies was moderate. Evidence supported exercise as being beneficial with regards to physical functioning, health-related quality of life, strength, balance and gait speed for people with PD. There was insufficient evidence support or refute the value of exercise in reducing falls or depression. This review found evidence of the potential benefits of exercise for people with PD, although further good quality research is needed. Questions remain around the optimal content of exercise interventions (dosing, component exercises) at different stages of the disease. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society [source] Fraud or flawed: adverse impact of fabricated or poor quality researchANAESTHESIA, Issue 4 2010R. A. Moore Professor First page of article [source] Pharmacotherapy of bipolar II disorder: a critical review of current evidenceBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 1 2004George Hadjipavlou Objectives:, There is much controversy surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with bipolar II disorder (BP II). To address the growing need to find effective treatment strategies for patients with BP II, this article identifies and summarizes available published evidence specific to the pharmacotherapy of BP II. Methods:, Using the keywords, ,bipolar disorder', ,type II' or ,type 2', ,bipolar II', ,hypomania', and ,bipolar spectrum', a search of the databases Medline (via PubMed), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Ovid), and PsychInfo was conducted for the period January 1994 to January 2003. Articles deemed directly relevant to the treatment of BP II were selected. Studies that included both BP I and II patients were excluded if results for BP II patients were not analyzed and reported separately. Results:, Fourteen articles were selected for the review period. There are no double blind, randomized controlled trials (RCT) involving only BP II patients. Most studies investigating the pharmacotherapy of BP II are methodologically limited, having observational or retrospective designs and small samples. For long-term treatment, lamotrigine has the strongest quality of evidence (double blind RCT), while lithium is the best studied. With regard to short-term treatment, there is some limited support for the use of risperidone in hypomania, and for divalproex, fluoxetine and venlafaxine in treating depression. Conclusions:, There is a paucity of sound evidence to help guide clinicians treating BP II patients. Decisions about pharmacotherapy should be made on a case-by-case basis; overall, broad recommendations that are based on available evidence cannot be adequately made. More quality research is needed to delineate effective treatment strategies. [source] Producing Spaces for Academic Discourse: The Impact of Research Assessment Exercises and Journal Quality RankingsAUSTRALIAN ACCOUNTING REVIEW, Issue 1 2010Deryl Northcott This study examines the impact of national research assessment exercises (NRAEs) and associated journal quality rankings on the development, scope and sustainability of the academic journals in which accounting research is disseminated. The reported exploratory study focused on the United Kingdom (UK), Australia and New Zealand as three countries in which NRAEs are well developed or imminent. Data were collected via a survey of authors, interviews with journal editors, and feedback from publishers responsible for producing academic accounting journals. The findings suggest that, despite cynicism around the reliability of published journal quality rankings, the entrenchment of NRAE ,rules' and journal quality perceptions has changed authors' submission choices and left lower ranked journals struggling with a diminished quantity and quality of submissions. A clear perception is that NRAEs have done little to improve the overall quality of the accounting literature, but are impeding the diversity, originality and practical relevance of accounting research. Although strategies are suggested for meeting these challenges, they require strategic partnerships with publishers to enhance the profile and distribution of emerging journals, and depend on the willingness of accounting researchers to form supportive communities around journals that facilitate their research interests. The alternative may be a withering of the spaces for academic discourse, a stifling of innovation and a further entrenchment of current perceptions of what counts as ,quality' research. [source] | ||||||||||