Biostatistics and Study Design for Evidence-based Practice

The hallmark of an evidence-based practitioner is one who reflects on their clinical decision making and uses research evidence to reduce clinical uncertainty and guide their practice. Understanding how the results of empirical research can be appropriately integrated into clinical practice requires a basic understanding of study design and statistical analysis. This article provides an overview of some of the key concepts related to study design and statistical inference that are important to accurately measure clinical outcomes and to appropriately interpret the results of studies within the context of evidence-based decision making.