HSRT Assessing Credibility of Claims 2

Question 1

A health blogger claims that 'Vitamin C megadoses cure cancer, and thousands of patients have been healed.' Which credibility criterion is MOST undermined by this statement?

Accepted Answer

Verifiability — the claim lacks citations, study references, or reproducible evidence

Answer

Expertise — the blogger may not have medical credentials

Answer

Consistency — the claim contradicts itself

Answer

Objectivity — the blogger has a financial interest in supplements

Question 2

A pharmaceutical company publishes a study showing its new antibiotic is 40% more effective than the standard of care. The study was funded exclusively by the company. Which credibility concern is MOST salient?

Accepted Answer

Conflict of interest — industry-funded studies have a documented tendency toward favorable outcomes

Answer

Sample size — the study may not have enrolled enough patients

Answer

Peer review — the journal may not have used double-blind review

Answer

Statistical power — the 40% difference may not be clinically meaningful

Question 3

A respiratory therapist hears a claim from a colleague: 'High-flow oxygen always prevents intubation in COPD exacerbations.' Which credibility question should be asked FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Is this consistent with current evidence-based guidelines for COPD management?

Answer

How long has the colleague been practicing respiratory therapy?

Answer

Has the colleague published this claim in a journal?

Answer

Was this observed in more than one patient?

Question 4

A hospital administrator cites a testimonial from one nurse as evidence that a new scheduling system 'greatly improved staff satisfaction.' Which limitation of this evidence is MOST critical to identify?

Accepted Answer

A single testimonial is anecdotal and cannot represent the distribution of staff experiences

Answer

The nurse may be biased because she helped design the scheduling system

Answer

Testimonials are never credible in healthcare settings

Answer

The administrator should have surveyed only full-time nurses

Question 5

A clinical dietitian encounters a study that claims: 'Our proprietary protein supplement increases muscle mass by 300% in athletes.' The use of '300%' should trigger which credibility scrutiny?

Accepted Answer

Proportionality — extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; a 300% effect size is implausibly large

Answer

Unit analysis — the percentage unit is incorrect for measuring muscle mass

Answer

Replication — the study should be replicated in non-athletes first

Answer

Disclosure — the supplement ingredients should be fully listed

Question 6

Two systematic reviews report conflicting conclusions about the effectiveness of acupuncture for chronic low back pain. Which approach BEST assesses the relative credibility of each review?

Accepted Answer

Compare their methodological quality: study selection criteria, risk of bias assessment tools, and heterogeneity management

Answer

Accept the most recently published review as more credible because newer evidence supersedes older evidence

Answer

Accept the review that included more total studies regardless of their quality

Answer

Defer to the review authored by researchers affiliated with a university hospital