research model might be the solution to the problem with the authority model . For example , if an authority states that a certain treatment technique helps low back pain , and they back this up by describing two or three case studies , scientific research applies their treatment technique to a large group of people who have low back pain , to see if their treatment is as effective as they state . The results for this treatment group are compared to a large control group which did not receive the treatment ( usually the control group receives what is called a placebo or sham treatment that is known / considered to be ineffective ). A comparison is then made to see if the clients in the treatment group fared better than those in the control group . If they did , then the proposed treatment is effective and valid . Alternatively , the proposed treatment could be compared to another treatment that is recognized and accepted to see which one is more effective .
Certainly , trusting research is a lot safer than blindly trusting an authority . The very essence of research is to put the ideas of authorities to the test . But relying too much on research can also have its dangers . The efficacy of a research study depends upon it being designed and carried out correctly , which is not always the case . Research study design can be complicated , and errors are sometimes made . Further , incorrect interpretations and conclusions of the research data can occur .
Study population First of all , an effective research study involves working with a large number of people ( the number of people in a study is referred to as “ n ”). Whereas a single case study ( n of 1 ) or a few case studies ( an n of 2 or 3 ) might make the proposed treatment technique seem effective , perhaps these results are not reflective of the entire client population . If n is large enough , we can better trust that the technique is representative of the entire client population that we might treat , and therefore will work for us with our clients . For a research study to be effective it usually means that that tens , if not hundreds or thousands , of people need to be involved . This can be expensive and these types of large studies are not always available .
Inclusion and exclusion factors Next , we have to make sure that the inclusion and exclusion factors are carefully chosen . As these names imply , inclusion factors are those factors / parameters that we want included in the study ; exclusion factors are those that we want excluded . Continuing with our example , if the study is evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed treatment on clients with low back pain , do we include all people with low back pain , or do we pick and choose which ones are to be part of the study ? For example , we
Oncology : Supportive Integrative Therapies
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August 2023 Sofitel Brisbane Central or via Live Stream
Early bird closes 30 June 2023
For more information , visit : integria . com / en-au / upcoming-events
Inspiring people to live better lives through natural healthcare