Shumway M. Sentell TL "An examination of leading mental health journals for evidence to inform evidence-based practice" Psychiatric Services 55(6):649-653 June 2004.

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Addresses:
Martha Shumway : shumway at itsa.ucsf.edu


Title: An examination of leading mental health journals for evidence to
inform evidence-based practice

Author(s): Shumway M, Sentell TL

Source: PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES 55 (6): 649-653 JUN 2004



Cited References: 18

Abstract:
Objective: This study examined whether data needed to inform evidence-based
practice can be found in leading mental health journals. Methods: Research
studies described in articles that were Published in 12 leading mental
health journals in 1999 were examined to determine whether they evaluated
clinical interventions, used rigorous. designs, were conducted in routine
practice settings, and included well-defined diagnostic groups and
heterogeneous samples. Results: Twenty-seven percent (N=295) of the 1,076
articles that were reviewed described research that evaluated
interventions.. Of these 295 articles, 64 percent evaluated pharmacologic
interventions and,33 percent evaluated psychosocial or psychotherapeutic
interventions. Of the articles that evaluated interventions, 60 percent
described randomized designs, but samples were modest; 25 percent. of the
studies reported 31 or fewer participants. Of the 295 articles, 84 percent
described studies conducted in specialty mental health, settings; very few
(4 percent) described studies conducted in public mental health or managed
care environments, which are common practice Settings. Most samples were
diagnostically well defined, but evidence of treatments for diagnoses other
than schizophrenia and mood disorders was limited. Conclusions: This
systematic re I view suggested that data needed to, inform and advance
evidence-based practice does not have the prominent place it deserves in
leading journals. Only a quarter of the research studies that were examined
evaluated clinical interventions, and articles that described pharmacologic
interventions were published twice as often as articles that described
psychosocial or psychotherapeutic interventions. Rigorous research designs
predominated, but sample sizes we re modest. Evidence was scarce on
treatment effectiveness in routine practice settings.

Addresses: Shumway M (reprint author), Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept
Psychiat, 2727 Mariposa St,Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept Psychiat, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA

E-mail Addresses: shumway at itsa.ucsf.edu

Publisher: AMER PSYCHIATRIC PRESS, INC, 1000 WILSON BOULEVARD, STE 1825,
ARLINGTON, VA 22209-3901 USA


IDS Number: 839CD
ISSN: 1075-2730

TABLE FROM PAGE 651 OF PAPER :
Rank   Journal                          1998 Journal IF   Number of articles
                                                          included in study
_____________________________________________________________________________
1.  Archives of General Psychiatry         9.4              94
2.  American Journal of Psychiatry         5.9              218
3.  Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 5.3              42
4.  Schizophrenia Bulletin                 4.5              33
5.  Journal of Clinical Psychiatry         4.1              98
6.  Journal of Clinical Psychology         4.1              68
7.  British Journal of Psychiatry          3.5              111
8.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical     3.4              98
    Psychology
9.  Journal of Abnormal Psychology         3.1              55
10. Psychological Medicine                 3.1              116
11. Psychosomatic Medicine                 3                71
12. Schizophrenia Research                 2.5              72

______________________________________________________________________

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