4 ways to debunk a health study

The abundance in new healthcare research findings has caused many to question their validity, according to New York Times writer Austin Frakt, PhD.

Here are four ways to distinguish practical results from research duds, according to Dr. Frakt, health economist for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. Ask yourself about the study's background. Dr. Frakt recommends asking the following questions: What methods did the researchers use? Did the study examine effects on humans rather than just animals? Did the study examine harms as well as benefits? Diving deeper into the study will help determine its usefulness.

2. Know the weaknesses in randomized trials. "The people researchers examine are never exactly like you," Dr. Frakt wrote. Randomized trials study large numbers of people, which often causes the two studied groups to be statistically identical to each other. However, you may not be identical to those in either group. Dr. Frakt points out that randomized trials are typically targeted toward those most likely to benefit from treatment.

3. Understand the implications of non-experimental studies. "Non-experimental" or "observational" database studies utilize data sets, like those available from Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Health Administration. Though these studies enable researchers to report differences in treatment effects, they often compare people who could have self-selected treatment. Because the studies rely on different assumptions than randomized trials, Dr. Frakt suggests examining them before relying on the results.

4. Wait for more results. Dr. Frakt advises patience before taking any results to heart. "The best bet is to wait, if you can, until evidence accumulates from many studies using a range of methods and applied to different populations," he wrote.

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