Clinical Trials in Psychiatry
Published on 1. December 2003
Book
Paperback/Softback
189 pages
978-0-19-852642-1 (ISBN)
Description
Mental health problems account for a quarter of all physician consultations, and place an enormous financial burden on society. For this reason, the search for effective treatments in psychiatry continues apace. But as they are developed, it is essential that we have effective and rigorous methods of assessing the benefits and safety of new treatments. The randomised-controlled trial (RCT) is accepted as being the best method for doing this. In order to understand what does and does not work, mental health professionals' needs to understand how treatments have been assessed and evaluated. Clinical Trials in Psychiatry is the first book to explain RCTs for mental health professionals. It starts by discussing why we need trials and why they are the best way of deciding if a treatment works. It then describes the different types of trial, how to analyse the results, and how to conduct a trial. For anyone working in the mental health field, this book will be an essential source of reference, allowing them to make informed decisions about treatment.
Reviews / Votes
There is much to recommend this book but probably the most useful feature to the clinical researcher is the practical problem-solving approach which also includes advice on appropriate websites and software programs for design and analysis. The appendices outlining how to design and report clinical trials, I suspect, will be put to good use by many writing grant proposals and papers in the future... this book will be an invaluable companion to anyone involved in, or contemplating undertaking, clinical trials research. Psychological Medicine Everitt & Wessely are to be congratulated on producing an excellent guide to help overcome the snags in clinical trial research. Clearly written and in an engrossing style, the book is likely to become a classic textbook on clinical trials, and not just in psychiatry. The authors' enthusiasm and grasp of clinical trial research make for a gripping and insightful read. The book is well set out, with a summary at the end of each chapter. It is excellently researched with many recent references. It should be essential reading for anyone involved in clinical trials in psychiatry, whether a researcher or a user of clinical evidence. I would also recommend it to a much wider readership - it is one of the very best books that has been written on clinical trials. British Journal of PsychiatryMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Adult education
Illustrations
fig., num. tab.
numerous tables and figures
ISBN-13
978-0-19-852642-1 (9780198526421)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Content
1. Treatments good, bad or worthless - and how do we tell?; 2. The randomized clinical trial; 3. Design issues in clinical trials; 4. Special problems of trials in psychiatry; 5. Statistical issues in the analysis of psychiatric trials; 6. Analysing data from a psychiatric trial: an example; 7. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis; 8. RCTs in psychiatry: threats, challenges and the future; A. Issues in the management of clinical trials - "how to do it"; B. Writing a clinical trial report; C. Useful software for clinical trials