Community Health & Epidemiology: Critical Appraisal

• The NCCMT's goal is to support the use of the best available research evidence in public health practice and policy to optimize the health of Canadians. They support public health professionals in finding and using innovative, high quality, up-to-date methods and tools to build capacity for evidence-informed public health.
• They offer a number of useful tools, including the database Public Health + of pre-appraised studies and reviews relevant to public health.
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Listed below are a few resources that may be helpful in learning how to critically appraise an article.

Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tools

Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions - Chapter 8

Higgins, J. P., Altman, D. G., Gøtzsche, P. C., Jüni, P., Moher, D., Oxman, A. D., ... & Sterne, J. A. (2011). The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 343.

CASP UK (Critical Appraisal Skills Program)

Critical appraisal checklists for randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, case control studies, qualitative research, economic evaluations, diagnostic tests, clinical prediction rules

Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools

In Pearson, A., Field, J., & Jordan, Z. (2009). Evidence-based clinical practice in nursing and health care: assimilating research, experience and expertise.  Appendix 2.        Print book located in the Health Sciences Library  RT42.P43 2007

Centre for Evidence Based Medicine
Guyatt, G. H., Oxman, A. D., Vist, G., Kunz, R., Brozek, J., Alonso-Coello, P., ... & Schünemann, H. J. (2011). GRADE guidelines: 4. Rating the quality of evidence—study limitations (risk of bias). Journal of clinical epidemiology, 64(4), 407-415.GRADE Guidelines.

Critical Appraisal Worksheets