Train the Trainer Course book - Cochrane Public Health Group

FACILITATOR’S GUIDE – QUANTITATIVE
STUDIES
Time required:
1 hour 35 minutes approx (slides 35 minutes, quantitative appraisal exercise 1 hour minutes)
Learning topics
- Sources of bias within health promotion and public health studies
- Critical appraisal tools/checklists
- Integrity of interventions
Summary of activity
Lecture – Powerpoint slides
Group exercise 1 – class divided into half depending on the type of study design they received as
part of the pre-reading material (1) randomised controlled trial, (2) controlled before and after
study
Description of supporting materials
1) Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies – provided in handbook
2) Dictionary for the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for
Quantitative Studies – provided in handbook
3) The two RCT papers by Sahota – print out and give to participants
4) The CBA study by Gortmaker – print out and give to participants
Further reading (if required)
1. Rychetnik L, Frommer M, Hawe P, Shiell A. Criteria for evaluating evidence on public health
interventions. J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;56:119-27.
2. Guyatt GH, Sackett DL, Cook DJ, for the Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. Users’
Guides to the Medical Literature. II. How to Use an Article About Therapy or Prevention. A.
Are the Results of the Study Valid? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA
1993;270(21):2598-2601.
3. Ukoumunne OC, Gulliford MC, Chinn S, Sterne JA, Burney PG. Methods for evaluating areawide
and organisation-based interventions in health and health care: a systematic review.
Health Technol Assess. 1999;3(5):iii-92.
Instructions to facilitator
The aims of this section are to 1) describe the types of biases associated with different study
designs, 2) describe the impact the implementation of the intervention has on effectiveness, and 3)
provide practical experience to participants in working through a critical appraisal checklist.
Due to copyright restrictions, you will need to locate and print the required readings for this session
(they should also be emailed to participants one week prior to the course). Both study designs do
not have to be appraised; it may be more effective for the whole group to appraise one of the
studies. The study by Gortmaker is included for participants with more advanced knowledge. The
RCT is a good study design for beginners.
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