What proportion of primary psychiatric interventions are based on evidence from randomised controlled trials?

Journal article

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the proportion of psychiatric inpatients receiving primary interventions based on randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials. DESIGN: Retrospective survey. SETTING: Acute adult general psychiatric ward. SUBJECTS: All patients admitted to the ward during a 28 day period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary interventions were classified according to whether or not they were supported by evidence from randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews. RESULTS: The primary interventions received by 26/40 (65%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 51% to 79%) of patients admitted during the period were based on randomised trials or systematic reviews. CONCLUSIONS: When patients were used as the denominator, most primary interventions given in acute general psychiatry were based on experimental evidence. The evidence was difficult to locate; there is an urgent need for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in this area.

Authors: Geddes, J; Game, D; Jenkins, N; Peterson, L; Pottinger, G

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Quality in health care : QHC
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 215-217
• Publication date: 1996-12-01
• DOI: 10.1136/qshc.5.4.215
• EISSN: 1475-3901
• ISSN: 0963-8172
• Language: English
• Keywords: Psychiatric Department, Hospital; Hospitals, Public; Intervention Studies; Humans; Primary Prevention; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Mental Disorders; Inpatients; Retrospective Studies; Evidence-Based Medicine; Practice Guidelines as Topic; State Medicine; Adult