An evaluation of the quality of statistical design and analysis of published medical research: results from a systematic survey of general orthopaedic journals.

Background: The application of statistics in reported research in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has become ever more important and complex. Despite the extensive use of statistical analysis, it is still a subject which is often not conceptually well understood, resulting in clear methodological flaws and inadequate reporting in many papers.

Methods: A detailed statistical survey sampled 100 representative orthopaedic papers using a validated questionnaire that assessed the quality of the trial design and statistical analysis methods.

Is the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) superior to clinician judgement in detecting critical illness in the pre-hospital environment?

Aim: Physiological track and trigger scores have an established role in enhancing the detection of critical illness in hospitalized patients. Their potential to identify individuals at risk of clinical deterioration in the pre-hospital environment is unknown. This study compared the predictive accuracy of the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) with current clinical practice.

Comparison of breast and bowel cancer screening uptake patterns in a common cohort of South Asian women in England.

Background: Inequalities in uptake of cancer screening by ethnic minority populations are well documented in a number of international studies. However, most studies to date have explored screening uptake for a single cancer only. This paper compares breast and bowel cancer screening uptake for a cohort of South Asian women invited to undertake both, and similarly investigates these women's breast cancer screening behaviour over a period of fifteen years.