title: Evidence-based systematic review: Oropharyngeal dysphagia behavioral treatments. Part I--background and methodology.
abstract: Evidence-based systematic reviews (EBSRs), in conjunction with clinical expertise and client values, are invaluable tools for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. This article provides an overview of the levels-of-evidence scheme used by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to conduct systematic reviews. The goal of ASHA reviews is to provide a tool to help clinicians determine the best treatment course for their clients. We present a collaborative project between ASHA's National Center for Evidence-based Practice in Communication Disorders and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that examined seven behavioral swallowing treatments for disordered and nondisordered populations. The methodology used in a series of reviews conducted by ASHA and the VA will be discussed, including the development of clinical questions, search parameters, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and literature search results. Findings from the series of reviews as well as the practical applications of EBSRs will be reported in subsequent articles in this series.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Blvd, 245, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. tfrymark@asha.org
authors.forename: Tobi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frymark
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schooling
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wheeler-Hegland
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ashford
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Musson
authors.forename: Carol Smith
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D016235:American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs