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Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship: Randomized Controlled Trials

Part of: Research and Methodology in Infection Control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2016

Deverick J. Anderson ,
Manisha Juthani-Mehta  and
Daniel J. Morgan
Deverick J. Anderson*
Affiliation:
Duke University Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Durham, North Carolina
Manisha Juthani-Mehta
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, Connecticut
Daniel J. Morgan
Affiliation:
VA Maryland Healthcare System and University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
Address correspondence to Deverick J. Anderson, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Box 102359, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 (dja@duke.edu).
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Abstract

Randomized controlled trials (RCT) produce the strongest level of clinical evidence when comparing interventions. RCTs are technically difficult, costly, and require specific considerations including the use of patient- and cluster-level randomization and outcome selection. In this methods paper, we focus on key considerations for RCT methods in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship (HE&AS) research, including the need for cluster randomization, conduct at multiple sites, behavior modification interventions, and difficulty with identifying appropriate outcomes. We review key RCTs in HE&AS with a focus on advantages and disadvantages of methods used. A checklist is provided to aid in the development of RCTs in HE&AS.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:629–634

Type
SHEA White Paper
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 37 , Issue 6 , June 2016 , pp. 629 - 634
Copyright
© 2016 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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