Key highlights
- Understand how study design influences strength of evidence
- Apply the PICO framework to structure clinical questions
- Recognise bias and limitations in published research
- Distinguish statistical significance from clinical relevance
- Interpret results beyond abstracts and headlines
A patient presents with a headline claiming that a herbal extract “reduces inflammation by 60%.” The figure is compelling, but what does it represent? How was it measured, and does it translate into meaningful clinical benefit?
Healthcare professionals are increasingly required to interpret such claims. Although access to research has expanded, responsible application depends on understanding how the evidence was generated and whether it is relevant to practice.1 Scientific literacy enables practitioners to assess study quality, relevance, and evidence strength before applying findings in practice.2