PALMER Claire
Evidence-base briefing: dementia; a compilation of secondary research evidence, guidelines and consensus statements.
Summary
Evidence-base briefings (EBBs) are summarised collections of synthesised 'evidence' in a given topic area. This document on dementia attempts to encapsulate the best available evidence into a format which is quick and easy to use. Its main aim is to provide a check-list of appraised evidence from which a clinician can easily obtain original documents. These documents can then be appraised (using the tool provided) and interpreted for the clinician's own practice. The evidence sources on which the EBB is based include research, guidelines and national guidance. The EBB includes full references to its source documents and details on further information resources to support evidence-based practice.
Context
This evidence-base briefing (EBB) on dementia is an attempt to assimilate synthesised evidence into a format that is easy and quick to use. It is basically a list of key evidence which has been accumulated from searching centres. It does not include randomised control trials and is not meant to be exhaustive. It does not therefore purport to be a list of all category one evidence. Its main purpose is as a quick check-list of appraised evidence from which readers can then obtain the original documents and appraise and interpret them for their own practice.
Method
The EBB is broken down into accessible sections. These sections show the area of work, a very brief summary of the evidence, the year of publication and a ranking of strength of that particular piece of evidence. The reviewer of this EBB uses a three star system to show the quality of the evidence; three being the highest. This reflects their opinion only, but is aimed at allowing readers to look at the evidence in some form of order. There are several caveats around the use of this briefing. The evidence summary is just that - the original documents need to be read. Also, good evidence is often reviewed by many groups and so ends up listed more than once. Frequency of entry is not a reflection of importance and users of the EBB must be careful in their interpretation of the statements provided. This work, as stated, is a briefing. Its aim is to point people at the evidence in order for them to appraise it and the services they offer based on it. It provides direction, not answers, and should only be used as such. This is the first edition of this document, the intention is to undertake a major update every two years and increase the number of sections to include other areas as more evidence appears.
Contents
Section one contains details what an evidence-base briefing is, its uses and how EBBs are produced. This EBB has been divided into five chapters; introduction; preparing to use this EBB; the evidence; critical appraisal tools; sources of information. The second section explains the type of evidence utilised and how it is graded. The third section has been organised to reflect clinical practice to some extent. It begins, therefore, with assessment and then progresses through quality of life, issues related to carers and families, clinical management, psychosocial and medication interventions and then particular issues related to people with learning disabilities who have dementia. The section ends with a full list of references. The fourth section provides two critical appraisal tools; critical appraisal form for an overview: this form is utilised to appraise systematic reviews, meta-analyses and other overviews; and a critical appraisal form for clinical guidelines: this form is utilised to appraise clinical practice guidelines. Both of these forms may be photocopied freely. A list of organisations which can provide additional resources to support critical appraisals, systematic searching and developing structured questions completes this section. The final section provides information about the providers of the information used in this EBB, along with their contact details.
Conclusion
"Uses of EBBS: to generate discussion at clinical meetings; to provide a basis for continuing professional development and education sessions; to inform clinical audit standards; to provide an information resource for individual practitioners or for groups; to provide a reference/reminder resource; to provide a basis for developing local guidelines; to provide a basis for developing information for service users, carers and the public."
72 references (in evidence section)
6 references (in critical appraisal tools section)
37 contact details