Searching for high-quality evidence to prepare patient information.
OBJECTIVE
To help those preparing patient information by developing a search protocol for finding evidence on treatments that would maximize rigour, relevance and completeness. To apply the search protocol in one example area, 'early breast cancer'.


METHODS
Development--a multidisciplinary group listed evidence sources and assigned them to 'rigour of methods' bandings and also assessed their completeness. A search protocol was made by ranking evidence sources by rigour and then by completeness. Application-the protocol was used to search for information on treatments for early breast cancer.


RESULTS
Eighteen evidence sources provided details of their methods. Thirteen sources were assigned to Band A ('key source') and two sources to Band B ('some doubt about rigour but nevertheless useful'). The 15 Band A and B sources were ordered into a search protocol and used to identify 24 pieces of evidence about early breast cancer. Ten reviews were excluded (as irrelevant), leaving 14 useful pieces of evidence-based information to help inform patient information.


CONCLUSIONS
Those preparing patient information on treatments for early breast cancer would find 14 pieces of useful evidence. It remains to be seen how far these pieces of evidence would answer questions that patients might pose about treatments.
Booth-Clibborn
N
N
National Horizon Scanning Centre, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham, UK. nina@helpcannabisresearch.org
Milne
R
R
Oliver
S
S
D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards*; D016245:Librarians; D007999:Library Services / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D006113:United Kingdom