Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
-
The previous studies demonstrated that the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, a leading method for evaluating the certainty (quality) of scientific evidence (CoE), cannot reliably differentiate between various levels of CoE when the objective is to accurately assess the magnitude of the treatment effect. An estimated effect size is a function of multiple factors, including the true underlying treatment effect, biases, and other nonlinear factors that affect the estimate in different directions. We postulate that non-weighted, simple linear tallying can provide more accurate estimates of the probability of a true estimate of treatment effects as a function of CoE. ⋯ This study confirmed linear relationship between CoE and the probability of potentially 'true' estimates. We found that the probability of potentially "true" estimates decreases by about 20% for each drop in CoE (from about 80% for high to 55% for moderate to 35% to low and 15% to very low CoE).
-
Meta-analysis, a powerful technique for combining effect estimates from multiple studies, enhances statistical power and precision. However, its adoption can be hindered by challenges in statistical interpretation and the complexity of specialized software. MetaXL, a freely available Microsoft Excel add-in, aims to mitigate these barriers by providing comprehensive support and facilitating seamless integration of meta-analytical results into research publications. ⋯ This tutorial offers researchers, particularly those with limited resources, detailed explanations and insights into commonly used methodologies for pooling effect sizes. Furthermore, it introduces the new Excel functions that comes with the MetaXL add-in. Accurate population of this function and adherence to the correct format are essential to ensure error-free analyzes.
-
The composition and amount of breast milk is affected by factors such as the duration and frequency of breastfeeding, the time between two breastfeeding sessions, the effectiveness of breastfeeding, breastfeeding technique, genetic characteristics of the mother and diet. Breast milk macronutrients are provided by milk synthesized in lactocytes, mother's diet and maternal stores. ⋯ As the weight of mothers increases, breast milk protein and carbohydrate levels increase. As breast milk macronutrients increase, babies' weight and height increase.
-
The present paper aimed at discussing how the process of decision-making should be taken care of in healthcare services. ⋯ In depht analysis of meaning-making processes is crucial for better refining good practices of shared decision-making.