Evidence-Based Social Work
Evidence-based Social Work Practice and Outcome Evaluation.
Continuing Studies course, October 22-23, 2004.

What is Evidence-Based Practice?
Sources of Research Evidence: Academic Journals
Staying Informed: Current Awareness Services
Finding Evidence-Based Studies in Library Databases
Selected Indexes and Databases for Social Work
Finding Systematic Reviews on the Web
Other Free Databases
Useful Links

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

Evidence-based practice or EBP can be defined very simply as 'treatment [or intervention] based on the best available science' or research evidence. (McNeece & Thyer, 2004, p. 8).

    Evidence-based practice can be defined as the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and client values in making practice decisions. 'Best research evidence' means clinically relevant research from basic and applied scientific investigations, especially drawing from intervention research evaluating the outcomes of social work services, and from studies on the reliability and validity of assessment measures ...' (McNeece & Thyer, 2004, p. 9).
The authors go on to explain (McNeece & Thyer, 2004, p. 10) that different forms of evidence are not all equally informative, and they present a hierarchy of research methods, from high to low, 'in terms of their ability to reliably and directly inform practice:'
  • 'Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses
  • Randomized Controlled Trials
  • Quasi-Experimental Studies
  • Case-Control and Cohort Studies
  • Pre-Experimental Group Studies
  • Surveys
  • Qualitative Studies'

'Please note that EBP does NOT mean that one can only make use of systematic reviews or meta-analyses in order to make practice decisions. If these are lacking, EBP suggests that the practitioner then find out what guidance can be obtained from quasi-experimental, cohort studies, or qualitative reports, if these indeed represent the very 'best' outcomes research which is available to inform practice.' (McNeece & Thyer, 2004, p. 12).

Reference:
McNeece, C.A. & Thyer, B.A. (2004). Evidence-Based Practice and Social Work. Journal of Evidence Based Social Work, 1, 7-25. Retrieved October 7, 2004, from http://www.haworthpress.com/store/sampletext/J394.pdf (available for free)

Sources of Research Evidence: Academic Journals

The most recent research in any discipline is generally published in scholarly, peer reviewed journals (other sources are conference proceedings and pre-prints). The UBC Library subscribes to many social work journals, both in print and online, which you can peruse in the library.

You can also check out the websites of journal publishers for more information about a particular journal, its subscription cost, free online articles, free sample issues, etc. Some Canadian journal titles:

The following journals report the results of empirical outcome studies:

The link below lists ejournal titles to which the UBC Library subscribes (may not be available to you if you're not at UBC):

Note: The best way to find articles on specific topics is to search databases that index social work journals (see Finding Evidence-Based Studies in Library Databases below).

Staying Informed: Current Awareness Services

How do you keep up to date with what's being published? Many journal publishers provide a free table of contents email service: each time a new issue of the journal of your choice is published, the table of contents is emailed to you. Find the website of the publisher of your favourite journals and check to see whether this service is offered and where you can sign up for it.

Haworth Press is a major publisher of social work journals, and you can sign up for email alerts:

Sign up for free email alerts in the left hand column of the above page.

The link below takes you to a page for UBC users, so some of the databases may not be available to you. However, check out section 3. Books & Journal Publishers for links to other publishers' websites (or use Google to find them):

Finding Evidence-Based Studies in Library Databases

The UBC Library, like other libraries, licenses many databases that index the academic journal literature in different disciplines. If you are a UBC student, staff or faculty member, you can access UBC databases from home or office.

Also check for databases that are available to you through your local library. For example, if you're a member of the Vancouver Public Library, you can access their databases from home or office. Go to the VPL Login page.

Below are some databases relevant to social work practitioners. The links are to UBC databases, which you may or may not be able to access.

Helpful hint: For searching tips, always read the online help pages in the database you're searching - it's worth it!

Selected Indexes and Databases for Social Work

Social Services Abstracts
  • Provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development.
  • Example of a Keyword search: (rct* or randomized controlled trial* or clinical trial*) and (youth or teen* or adolescen*) and (alcohol or substance or drug*)
    Note that not all of the results are RCTs, some merely refer to RCTs.
  • Example of a Descriptor or Subject search (look up Descriptors in the Thesaurus): (substance abuse or alcohol abuse or drug abuse) and adolescents and treatment outcomes
    Be sure to select 'Descriptors (DE=)' for each search box. You can also select 'Journal Articles Only' and 'English Only'.
PscyINFO
  • Contains citations and summaries of journal articles, book chapters, books, and technical reports, as well as citations to dissertations, all in the field of psychology and psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, etc.
  • Example of a Descriptor or Subject search (look up Descriptors in the Thesaurus): (alcohol abuse or drug abuse).
    Be sure to select 'SU Subject' for the search box. Refine/limit your search by selecting 'Adolescents' in the Age Group category, and 'Clinical Trial' and 'Meta Analysis' in the Form/Content Type category.
PubMed
  • PubMed is the U.S. National Library of Medicine's freely web searchable MEDLINE database - the premier international index to biomedical research covering more than 4600 journals and indexing more than 15 million citations from 1951 to present.
  • Example of a search for Systematic Reviews: On the PubMed page, select 'Clinical Queries' in the left-hand column under PubMed Services. Then select 'Systematic Reviews' and type in your subject terms (search them in the 'MeSH Database' first):
    (alcohol related disorders or substance related disorders) and adolescent
Academic Search Premier
  • A large, general database that covers many disciplines, not in great depth: a useful starting point. Also available via VPL.
  • Example of a Keyword search: (rct* or randomized controlled trial*) and (youth or teen* or adolescen*) and (alcohol or substance or drug*)
    Note that not all of the results are RCTs, some merely refer to RCTs.

For other useful library databases, check out UBC Library's Subject Resources for Social Work.

Finding Systematic Reviews on the Web

The databases listed below can be searched for free on the web but note that, with the exception of PubMed Central, you will retrieve citations only (sometimes with abstracts).

The Campbell Collaboration
The Campbell Collaboration prepares, maintains, and disseminates systematic reviews of studies of interventions. 'The Campbell (C2) Library consists of two unique data bases, namely, the C2 Social, Psychological, Education, and Criminological Trials Registry (C2-SPECTR), and the C2 Reviews of Interventions, and Policy Evaluations (C2-RIPE).' (from their website).

On the above website, select 'C2 Library'. On the next screen, look for the link 'To access C2-SPECTR, click here' - it is listed at the end of the section on 'About C2-SPECTR '. On the next screen, click on SEARCH SPECTR. Be sure to read the HELP screens for searching tips.

Bandolier
Bandolier focuses on evidence-based health care. 'The impetus behind Bandolier was to find information about evidence of effectiveness (or lack of it) ... Information comes from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised trials, and from high quality observational studies' (from their website).

Browse through their Knowledge Library, Monthly Journal, Pain Site, Extra Essays, or do a site search.

The Cochrane Collaboration
'The Cochrane Library consists of a regularly updated collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews' (from their website).

On the above page, find the link to [browse systematic reviews] in the right hand column to do your search. Be sure to read the information about The Cochrane Library.

PubMed (1951-present)
This database was described above. For a free, online archive of journal articles in the life sciences, go to PubMed Central (PMC).

Other Free Databases

The UBC Library has compiled an A-Z list of some other free databases (in all disciplines):

You can also search the UBC Library catalogue for books about evidence-based practice etc. The following books, available in the UBC Library, may be of interest:

Clinical applications of evidence-based family interventions.
Effective interventions for child abuse and neglect: an evidence-based approach to planning and evaluating interventions.
Evidence-based social work practice with families: a lifespan approach.
The evidence-based social work skills book.
A guide to treatments that work.
Handbook of empirical social work practice.
Helping abused children and their families: towards an evidence-based practice model.
Substance abuse treatment for criminal offenders: an evidence-based guide for practitioners.

Useful Links

Evidence-based Practice in Social Work
Social Work Library, University of Michigan.

Be Evidence Based
The Centre for Evidence-Based Social Services, University of Exeter.

Library Contact: Hilde Colenbrander Last Updated: 5-Sep-2006

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