Question

Not all EBP projects result in statistically significant results. Define clinical significance, and explain the difference between clinical and statistical significance.

Answer 1

Clinical significance is the practical importance of a treatment effect whether it has a real genuine ,palpable, noticeable effect on daily life.

In clinical research, study results, which are statistically significant are often interpreted as being clinically important. While statistical significance indicates the reliability of the study results , clinical significance reflects it's impact on clinical practice.

Clinical significance depends on it's implications or existing practice treatment effect size being one of the most important factors that drives treatment dicisions.

Statistical significance is heavily dependent on the study's sample size; with large sample sizes, even small treatment effects can appear statistically significant.