RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 What proportion of primary psychiatric interventions are based on evidence from randomised controlled trials?
JF Quality in Health Care
JO Qual Health Care
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 215
OP 217
DO 10.1136/qshc.5.4.215
VO 5
IS 4
A1 J R Geddes
A1 D Game
A1 N E Jenkins
A1 L A Peterson
A1 G R Pottinger
A1 D L Sackett
YR 1996
UL http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/5/4/215.abstract
AB OBJECTIVES: To estimate the proportion of psychiatric inpatients receiving primary interventions based on randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials. DESIGN: Retrospective survey. SETTING: Acute adult general psychiatric ward. SUBJECTS: All patients admitted to the ward during a 28 day period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary interventions were classified according to whether or not they were supported by evidence from randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews. RESULTS: The primary interventions received by 26/40 (65%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 51% to 79%) of patients admitted during the period were based on randomised trials or systematic reviews. CONCLUSIONS: When patients were used as the denominator, most primary interventions given in acute general psychiatry were based on experimental evidence. The evidence was difficult to locate; there is an urgent need for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in this area.