Methods and Designs for Outcomes Research

Outcomes research seeks to understand the end results of particular health care practices and interventions. By linking the care patients receive to the outcomes they experience, outcomes research has become the key to developing better ways to monitor and improve the quality of care. Methods and Designs for Outcomes Research introduces clinical professionals and students to common statistical methods and study designs used in pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research, as well as issues related to the measurement, analysis, and interpretation of results of clinical trials and outcomes studies. This easy to read text will guide the reader to:

• Critically read published papers that incorporate patient outcome and cost measures
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• Understand the strengths and limitations of controlled trials, observational, quasi-experimental, and epidemiological designs, and the contribution of integrative modeling studies used to estimate outcomes for specific patient groups in the short and long term.

Each chapter focuses on the interpretation of results, providing a framework that the reader can use to better understand and assess research as they decide whether to incorporate the findings within their practices.