BACKGROUND Recently there has been a significant increase in the number of systematic reviews addressing questions of prevalence. Key features of a systematic review include the creation of an a priori protocol, clear inclusion criteria, a structured and systematic search process, critical appraisal of studies, and a formal process of data extraction followed by methods to synthesize, or combin...

OBJECTIVE To review and identify established methods for evaluating the quality of practice guidelines and to use a selected assessment tool to assess 2 chiropractic practice guideline documents. METHODS A search of the medical literature was performed to identify current methods and procedures for practice guideline evaluation. Two chiropractic practice guideline documents, Vertebral Subluxa...

BACKGROUND Critical appraisal skills allow surgeons to evaluate the literature in an objective and structured manner, with emphasis on the validity of the evidence. The development of skills in critical acquisition and appraisal of the literature is crucial to delivering quality surgical care. It is also widely accepted that journal clubs are a time-honored educational paradigm for teaching and...