The use of placebo in clinical nursing research

Journal of Clinical Nursing
Carmen W H Chan, David R Thompson

Abstract

This paper reviews placebo and placebo effects and their measurement and application to nursing. Ethical and methodological issues are also discussed. Implications for nursing and recommendations for future study are offered. Placebos have been used for decades in clinical trials but discussion about conceptual, methodological and ethical issues has been comparatively scarce. It is concluded that true placebo effects are difficult to measure and control and the use of credible placebo is sometimes impractical in clinical nursing research. This leads to the increased use of usual care as a control by researchers. However, more information should be reported in studies that use this approach, including the specification of usual care, its monitoring and patient adherence. Where its use is considered ethical, safe and feasible, a placebo arm should be included in studies of efficacy to distinguish between active and inactive treatment.

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Citations

Aug 31, 2007·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Roger Watson
Apr 25, 2006·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Roger Watson
Dec 3, 2014·European Journal of Oncology Nursing : the Official Journal of European Oncology Nursing Society·Carmen W H ChanWinnie P Y Tang
May 12, 2011·Nursing Ethics·Nayereh Baghcheghi, Hamid Reza Koohestani
Aug 31, 2018·The International Journal of Health Planning and Management·Shirin NosratnejadAlireza Mahboub-Ahari
Jan 1, 2010·Indian Journal of Psychiatry·Sandeep GroverAjit Avasthi

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