Epidemiology is a cornerstone of public health, owing largely to the reliability of data gathered by health professionals about patients and their loved ones. But some patient and community health needs are not well captured in observational studies and clinical trials, especially when patient-subjects are lost to follow-up. This can result in an incomplete evidence base and corresponding inapt and inequitable clinical guidelines.
The January issue of AMA Journal of Ethics® (@JournalofEthics) investigates the complexities of epidemiological data sourcing and the ethics of practice guideline formation.
The AMA Journal of Ethics is an editorially independent, peer-reviewed journal devoted to helping students and clinicians navigate ethical decisions in service to patients and communities. The January issue of AMA Journal of Ethics includes the following articles.
“Whom Should We Regard as Responsible for Health Record Inaccuracies That Hinder Population-Based Fact Finding?”
- EHRs have revolutionized the scale, speed and granularity at which health data can be collated and summarized for epidemiologic purposes.
“Which Values Should Guide Evidence-Based Practice?”
- This article draws on opinions in the AMA Code of Medical Ethics and applies them to evidence-based practice.
“What Should Health Professions Students Learn About Data Bias?”
- Systematic deviation from truth can arise during data collection, methodological application and outcomes analysis.
“How Should Meaningful Evidence Be Generated From Datasets?”
- Even research that uses ideal datasets might not generate high-quality evidence.
Listen and learn
The journal’s January “Ethics Talk” podcast features a conversation with James Downs, PhD, author of Maladies of Empire: How Colonialism, Slavery, and War Transformed Medicine, and Rae Anne Martinez, PhD, MSPH, a population health postdoctoral fellow at the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota. They discussed the underrecognized contributions of historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups to the origins of epidemiology, as well as good uses of race and ethnicity data in epidemiological research.
The January issue also features five author-interview podcasts. Listen to previous episodes of the “Ethics Talk” podcast or subscribe in iTunes or other services.
Also, CME modules drawn from this month’s issue are collected at the AMA Ed Hub™ AMA Journal of Ethics webpage.
The next issue of the journal will focus on pain management in nonlabor and delivery ob-gyn procedures. Apply to be an AMA Journal of Ethics editorial fellow or senior editorial fellow and design a theme issue with us.
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