title: Challenging the framework for evidence in palliative care research.
abstract: This paper examines the debate about best evidence within the public health literature and proposes that similar arguments and concerns exist with respect to use of current evidence-based approaches to implementing research and evaluating the literature in palliative care. Whilst randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remain the gold standard and are appropriate in many instances of palliative care research, there is a need for an alternate research design framework that incorporates contextual and compositional effects pertinent to palliative care research. A framework, entitled Equity-Based Evidence, is discussed as an approach to evidence-based knowledge development in palliative care.
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Postgraduate Medicine, Edith Cowan University, Churchlands 6018, Western Australia. s.aoun@ecu.edu.au
authors.forename: Samar M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Aoun
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kristjanson
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*