Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change
Abstract Understanding and correctly interpreting statistical results presented in scientific articles is a required skill for practicing evidence‐based veterinary medicine. A prerequisite for doing so is the adequate reporting of the results in scientific journals. However, most authors of veterina...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17258 |
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| author | Hsin‐Yi Weng Locksley L. McV. Messam |
| author_facet | Hsin‐Yi Weng Locksley L. McV. Messam |
| author_sort | Hsin‐Yi Weng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Understanding and correctly interpreting statistical results presented in scientific articles is a required skill for practicing evidence‐based veterinary medicine. A prerequisite for doing so is the adequate reporting of the results in scientific journals. However, most authors of veterinary publications determine the importance of their findings based on statistical significance (ie, P < .05), indicating that neither the limitations of using P values for inference nor the existence of more appropriate alternatives are widely appreciated in veterinary medicine. This deficiency in knowledge indicates a need to increase awareness in veterinary medicine regarding reporting statistical measures that quantify the magnitude of an effect along with its level of uncertainty, and then interpreting these results for clinical decision making. We utilize a hypothetical randomized controlled trial of dietary management in cats with chronic kidney disease to discuss some common misconceptions about P values and provide practical suggestions for alternatives. Reporting appropriate effect estimates along with their confidence intervals will allow veterinarians to easily and correctly determine whether the magnitude of the effect of interest meets clinical needs while acknowledging uncertainty in the results. We also describe confidence interval functions and show their utility as visual tools in aiding interpretation of confidence intervals. By providing practical guidance, we show that a change in reporting and interpreting statistical results is feasible and necessary. We hope this crucial step will promote clinical decision making based on effect estimates and confidence intervals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c1d0f6fbd5b64f2daffe3a7a75cae914 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0891-6640 1939-1676 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-c1d0f6fbd5b64f2daffe3a7a75cae9142025-01-27T15:22:40ZengWileyJournal of Veterinary Internal Medicine0891-66401939-16762025-01-01391n/an/a10.1111/jvim.17258Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for changeHsin‐Yi Weng0Locksley L. McV. Messam1Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USASection: Herd Health and Animal Husbandry, School of Veterinary Medicine University College Dublin Dublin IrelandAbstract Understanding and correctly interpreting statistical results presented in scientific articles is a required skill for practicing evidence‐based veterinary medicine. A prerequisite for doing so is the adequate reporting of the results in scientific journals. However, most authors of veterinary publications determine the importance of their findings based on statistical significance (ie, P < .05), indicating that neither the limitations of using P values for inference nor the existence of more appropriate alternatives are widely appreciated in veterinary medicine. This deficiency in knowledge indicates a need to increase awareness in veterinary medicine regarding reporting statistical measures that quantify the magnitude of an effect along with its level of uncertainty, and then interpreting these results for clinical decision making. We utilize a hypothetical randomized controlled trial of dietary management in cats with chronic kidney disease to discuss some common misconceptions about P values and provide practical suggestions for alternatives. Reporting appropriate effect estimates along with their confidence intervals will allow veterinarians to easily and correctly determine whether the magnitude of the effect of interest meets clinical needs while acknowledging uncertainty in the results. We also describe confidence interval functions and show their utility as visual tools in aiding interpretation of confidence intervals. By providing practical guidance, we show that a change in reporting and interpreting statistical results is feasible and necessary. We hope this crucial step will promote clinical decision making based on effect estimates and confidence intervals.https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17258confidence intervaleffect sizeevidence‐based medicineprecisionstatistical significance |
| spellingShingle | Hsin‐Yi Weng Locksley L. McV. Messam Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine confidence interval effect size evidence‐based medicine precision statistical significance |
| title | Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change |
| title_full | Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change |
| title_fullStr | Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change |
| title_short | Reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine: Calling for change |
| title_sort | reporting and interpreting statistical results in veterinary medicine calling for change |
| topic | confidence interval effect size evidence‐based medicine precision statistical significance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17258 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hsinyiweng reportingandinterpretingstatisticalresultsinveterinarymedicinecallingforchange AT locksleylmcvmessam reportingandinterpretingstatisticalresultsinveterinarymedicinecallingforchange |