Interpreting Outcomes 2-Statistical Significance and Clinical Meaningfulness: Linking Evidence to Practice.

Abstract

Scores on outcome measures matter in the clinical world because they influence treatment decisions, and because payers are increasingly asking clinicians to justify their treatment decisions. For researchers, scores on outcome measures are the currency in which they trade; outcome scores provide the answers to research questions. Measuring outcomes is critical, but it's only half the job-data must be analyzed and interpreted appropriately. Determining whether a treatment is effective involves making judgments about (1) the size of the reported effect, (2) the precision of the effect, and (3) whether the effect is clinically meaningful. <i>J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(7):559-560. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.0704</i>.