OCC Evidence-Based Medicine & Research Flashcards

Which organization produces the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations that inform ACA-covered preventive services?

Answer: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

The USPSTF is an independent panel convened and supported by the AHRQ that produces evidence-based preventive service recommendations.

In clinical research, which type of validity refers to whether study findings can be generalized to the broader population?

Answer: External validity

External validity (generalizability) refers to whether the study findings apply beyond the specific study sample to the target population.

A systematic review finds significant heterogeneity among included studies (I² = 78%). What does this indicate?

Answer: High variability across studies suggests caution in pooling results

I² > 75% indicates substantial heterogeneity, meaning considerable variability exists between study results that cannot be attributed to chance alone.

Which type of error occurs when a study fails to detect a real treatment effect due to inadequate sample size?

Answer: Type II error (beta error)

A Type II (beta) error is a false negative — failing to detect a real difference because the study lacked sufficient statistical power (adequate sample size).

Pre-registration of clinical trial protocols in databases like ClinicalTrials.gov is intended to prevent which bias?

Answer: Publication bias and selective outcome reporting

Pre-registration prevents selective outcome reporting and publication bias by making the original hypotheses public before data collection begins.

Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) research faces which unique methodological challenge not present in pharmaceutical trials?

Answer: Blinding participants and practitioners to the treatment intervention is extremely difficult

Unlike drug trials where placebo pills are feasible, truly blinding OMM trials is very difficult because practitioners and often patients know whether manipulation was performed.