Research Guides: Social Work: Evidence-Based Practice: Acquire the Evidence

Selected Study Design Types (with examples linked)

Case Control Studies
These are studies in which patients who already have a specific condition or outcome are compared with people who do not. Researchers look back in time (retrospective) to identify possible exposures. They often rely on medical records and patient recall for data collection. These types of studies are often less reliable than randomized controlled trials and cohort studies because showing a statistical relationship does not mean than one factor necessarily caused the other.
Case series and Case reports
These consist of collections of reports on the treatment of individual patients or a report on a single patient. Because they are reports of cases and use no control groups with which to compare outcomes, they have no statistical validity.
Cohort Studies
Identify a large population who already has a specific exposure or treatment, follows them over time, and compares outcomes with another group that has not been affected by the exposure or treatment being studied. Cohort studies are observational and not as reliable as randomized controlled studies, since the two groups may differ in ways other than in the variable under study.
Randomized, controlled clinical trials
A prospective, analytical, experimental study using primary data generated in the clinical environment. Individuals similar at the beginning are randomly allocated to two or more groups (treatment and control) and the outcomes of the groups are compared after sufficient follow-up time.
Systematic review
Systematic reviews use a formal methodological approach to focus on a clinical question and conducts an extensive literature search to identify studies with sound methodology. The studies are reviewed, assessed, and the results synthesized according to the predetermined criteria of the review question.

From: Duke University Medical Center Library, December 2005 (last retrieved January 20, 2009)

http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/subject/ebm/searching/ebmresources.pdf

Databases for Evidence-Based Research

CINAHL Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
The Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health (CINAHL) database provides authoritative coverage of the literture related to nursing and allied health. Virtually all English-language publications are indexed along with the publication of the American Nurses Association and National League of Nursing.Search by health indicators and keywords.
The Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
A collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) This link opens in a new window
A full-text database containing critical assessments of systematic reviews from a variety of medical journals.
PsycInfo (APA) This link opens in a new window
This database contains more than one million citations and summaries of journal articles, book chapters, books, dissertations and technical reports in the psychology and allied fields. Search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the "methodology" filter option.
PubMed @ U-M (with MGet It links) This link opens in a new window
PubMed indexes over 4,000 biomedical, nursing, dentistry and related journals, with over 15 million citations in MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE and related databases. Includes Clinical Queries and Systematic Review searching.
Social Services Abstracts This link opens in a new window
An index and abstract of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas.

Additional Resources

Campbell Collaboration
The Campbell Collaboration is an international social science research network that produces high quality, open and policy-relevant evidence syntheses, plain language summaries and policy briefs.
Campbell Systematic Reviews
Includes reviews in social science fields.
Indian Health Service, Best & Promising Practices
The IHS database, Best Practices, Promising Practices, and Local Efforts (BP/PP/LE), is an inventory of Best (i.e., Evidence-Based) Practices, Promising Practices, Local Efforts, Resources, and Policies occurring among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, schools, work sites, health centers/clinics, and hospitals.
SAMHSA's EBP Resource Center
The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) is a searchable online registry of mental health and substance abuse interventions that have been reviewed and rated by independent reviewers. this program is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Social Work Policy Institute Resources on Evidence-Based Practice
The Social Work Policy Institute, a think tank established by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) provides this helpful resource with links to many free EBP databases. Because these are free many of the articles and reviews may only provide an abstract, not the full article. For the complete resource use library subscription versions.

Filters

Filters (sometimes referred to as "hedges") help a researcher refine search results in order to retrieve more precise matches to their information need. Filters can specify publications years, document type, study type, and other attributes sometimes offered as options in bibliographic databases. They are widely used in health sciences literature searching and there are many online examples of these available for researchers to adapt to their own work.

MOLES

Methodology Oriented Locators for Evidence-based Searching

Leonard Gibbs and their co-authors suggest terms -- which they label MOLES -- to use in order to identify specific types of articles. For example, if you want to find research syntheses, you may use terms such as "meta-analysis," "systematic review," etc. Gibbs, et. al., offer this planning sheet, in their book Evidence-based practice for the helping professions: A practical guide with integrated multimedia, to provide ideas of terms to locate a range of research.

Other Sources for Filters

PubMed Topical Queries

RCT Filters

The ISSG Search Filter Resource

CADTH Search Filters Database

Clinical Hedges Database

This is a sample. There are many others that you can find freely available on the internet.