Journal of clinical epidemiology
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Therapeutic substitutions are common at the level of ministries of health, clinicians, and pharmacy dispensaries. Guidance in determining whether drugs offer similar risk-benefit profiles is limited. ⋯ Readers should consider whether the biological mechanisms and doses are similar across agents, whether the evidence is sufficiently valid across agents, and whether the safety and therapeutic effects of each drug are similar. This article uses a problem-based format to address the biological mechanism, validity, and results of a scenario in which therapeutic substitutions may be considered.
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Life course epidemiology attempts to unravel causal relationships between variables observed over time. Causal relationships can be represented as directed acyclic graphs. This article explains the theoretical concepts of the search algorithms used for finding such representations, discusses various types of such algorithms, and exemplifies their use in the context of obesity and insulin resistance. ⋯ As an exploratory method, causal graphs and the associated theory can help construct possible causal models underlying observational data. In this way, the causal search algorithms provide a valuable statistical tool for life course epidemiological research.
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To determine clinically important differences (CIDs) in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after total hip replacement (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, using the Short Form 36 (SF-36). ⋯ Valid and precise CIDs are estimated of PF, RP, BP, and SF, which are relevant in HRQoL subscales for THR and TKR patients. CIDs of all other subscales should be used cautiously.
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To assess the utility of an acronym, place of residence, race/ethnicity/culture/language, occupation, gender/sex, religion, education, socioeconomic status, and social capital ("PROGRESS"), in identifying factors that stratify health opportunities and outcomes. We explored the value of PROGRESS as an equity lens to assess effects of interventions on health equity. ⋯ The acronym PROGRESS is a framework and aide-memoire that is useful in ensuring that an equity lens is applied in the conduct, reporting, and use of research.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
An advance letter did not increase the response rates in a telephone survey: a randomized trial.
To test the impact of an advance letter on response and cooperation rates in a nationwide telephone survey, given previous inconsistent results. ⋯ An advance letter was not seen to be effective in increasing response or cooperation rates in a nationwide telephone survey. Researchers should consider alternative methods of increasing participation in telephone surveys.