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KMID : 0384320090300020129
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Korean Journal of Family Medicine
2009 Volume.30 No. 2 p.129 ~ p.137
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Quality Assessment of Non-Randomized Studies in the Korean Journal of Family Medicine
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Kim Hyung-Joon
Kim Soo-Young
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Abstract
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Background: Since the Korean Journal of Family Medicine (KJFM) started publishing from 1980, randomized cotrolled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled studies (NRSs) consistently have increased in quality and quantity. Although there have been several studies about the quality assessment of RCTs in Korea, there has been no study about quality assessment of NRS. Thus, this study scrutinies NRS in the KJFM to assess the quantity and quality.
Methods: Upon extracting NRSs for assessing a intervention effects from all the articles published in the KJFM from 1980 to 2006, assessments were made on methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS). Also the analysis were made upon the proportion of NRSs within original articles according to two categories (comparative study, non-comparative study). The mean scores by research methods and years, and total scores and mean scores of yearly research methods were analyzed.
Results: 34 trials on NRSs were selected. In 1980s, 0.65% of the total selected original articles, in 1990s, 1.54%, and in 2000s 5.11% were NRSs. According to the research designs, the mean scores of MINORS were before and after study 8.5, interrupted Time Series 9.7 (out of 16), controlled before and after 13.5, quasi randomized trial 12.6, and non randomized trial 13 (out of 24). Before and after design was the most frequent used (55.9%).
Conclusion: Although NRSs consistently increased in quantity, the assessed mean scores were low and most articles used before and after design. Thus, there should be studies using appropriate research methods in the future.
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KEYWORD
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Korean Journal of Family Medicine, Non-randomized trial, Quality Assessment
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