For this assignment, I critiqued an article on how to analyse a case-control study by Casp tool Checklist. When evaluating this study, three primary issues are most relevant. To begin with, one should determine whether the results of the study are valid or not. The results should be clearly stated and their impacts on the local community identified (Casp, 2021). To help analyse the three issues, eleven questions were designed by Casp.
First, one should evaluate whether the study addresses an issue that is focused on, for example, the population under study. One should determine if the study aimed at establishing a beneficial or harmful effect and the risk factors identified. It is essential to identify whether the researchers used an appropriate method to develop a conclusion (Casp, 2021). One should establish whether a case study is most appropriate in answering the study question.
Additionally, one should identify whether the cases used in the research were recruited appropriately or not. The procedure for recruiting cases, when placing their speciality and time factor into consideration should be evaluated. The selection of the controls is also significant when generalizing the findings. The number of controls and the manner of selecting them is also a critical factor. Casp (2021) note that in most study cases, there are exposures that affect the accuracy of the findings. It is essential to evaluate whether the exposure was measured accurately to minimise biases of the results.
One should evaluate whether the groups used in the research were treated equally, whether during the experimental intervention or not. Equal treatment could be in form of genetic, environmental, and socio-economic exposures (Casp, 2021). If there were cases of inequality, it is important to evaluate whether the researchers took into account the diverse factors in the analysis. They should also note the difference accrued by the treatment. For a more effective conclusion, one should evaluate how precise was the estimate of the impacts by considering the p-value and confidence intervals. It is essential to evaluate the credibility and reliability of the results and if they can be applied to the local community. It’s is critical that the results be beneficial to the local setting and backed up by evidence such as RCT systematic reviews, Case-control, and cohort studies.
Reference
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP), 2021. Casp Checklists; Checklist for Case-Control study evaluation. Web.