Clinical Research for Health Professionals: A User-Friendly Guide.

Clinical Research for Health Professionals: A User-Friendly Guide Batavia M. Woburn, MA 01801-2041, Butterworth-Heinemann Inc, 2001, paperback, 160 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-7506-7193-9, $29.95.

Clinicians and students must be able to evaluate information derived from peer-reviewed research to make appropriate inferences about the usefulness of the findings. Many of them find the interpretation of research to be frustrating and unproductive, however. The primary objective of this book is to provide a nontechnical resource to help the reader understand and appreciate research. The book was written in a user-friendly format primarily for students and Clinicians in the health care professions. The other purposes of this book are to help health care professionals become effective and efficient consumers of the literature and to help them participate in research.

Clinical Research for Health Professionals has 5 parts that are organized in a logical manner. In each chapter, the author has simplified difficult concepts and has built a well-organized framework that provides a unique approach to understanding and conducting research. Part I contains 2 chapters that describe how to use the book and the purpose of research and compare the different ways in which we acquire knowledge. Part II (12 chapters) discusses fundamental research concepts necessary to evaluate an article or conduct research. These concepts include the identification of the research question, design of the study, methods, and data analysis. Specific subjects are discussed such as review of literature, identification of variables, hypothesis development, research design, sampling issues, and data analysis and interpretation.

The 6 chapters of part III examine common problems associated with the investigator, treatment, subjects, measurement, conducting studies over time, and mathematics, and they suggest ways to avoid them. Part IV contains 2 chapters. Chapter 21 provides guidance on how to critically evaluate a research article. The next chapter identifies where to find the specific elements of a research article and uses an actual article as an example to illustrate the concepts previously discussed. Part V provides information to help graduate students and clinicians become involved in research. Chapter 23 is designed for clinicians and suggests ways they can get involved in research, including starting a journal club, establishing reliability of their measurements, and writing a case report. The next chapter provides guidance specifically for the graduate student. Appendix A contains resources for readers who want to expand their understanding of certain topics. Appendix B lists potential biases in research.

The book's content is jargon-free and is presented in a clear and concise manner. It includes abundant figures, tables, and examples to augment the presentation of material. Several chapters conclude with a section called "Things to Do," which may challenge the reader to apply the concepts to appropriate situations. References are included at the conclusion of each chapter. The subject matter is generally presented in detail that is appropriate for people with little or no research experience. A strength of this book is the extensive assortment of examples the author uses to highlight important concepts.

Clinical Research for Health Professionals contributes to physical therapist practice by providing a simplified framework that helps readers develop a basic understanding and appreciation of research. Students in the health care professions will find this book to be a practical source of information during the research component of their education; however, this book is not designed to replace comprehensive research and statistics texts. It will also serve as a useful reference for clinicians interested in research. Physical therapist educators may draw on the organization and simplified presentation of content for teaching research. Overall, I feel that Clinical Research for Health Professionals is a worthwhile resource for students, clinicians, and educators involved in research.

Douglas R Keskula, PT PhD, ATC
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Ga

Dr Keskula is Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, with research interests in the reliability and validity of clinical measurements and a specific focus on outcome measurements related to lower-extremity dysfunction.