Methods of development
➡️Stakeholder Involvement
Individuals who were involved in the development process. Included the above-mentioned Audiology Chief Manager, Audiology Executive Manager, Assembly Board, Grading Board and Reviewing Board.
Information about target population experiences were not applicable for this topic.
The adaptation cycle passed over: set-up phase, adaptation phase (Search and screen, assessment: currency, content, quality & /decision/selection) and finalization phase that included revision and external reviewing.
➡️Search Method
Electronic database searched: Pubmed, Medline, Google Scholar, Egyptian Knowledge Bank, Medscape.
➡️Keywords
Puretone Audiometry, Air Conduction, Bone Conduction, Masking, Hearing Loss, Guidlines
Time period searched: From 2005 to 2018
➡️Results
Four guidelines were assessed by three audiovestibular medicine experts. The “Pure-tone air- conduction and bone-conduction threshold audiometry with and without masking” the recommended procedure by the British Society of Audiology BSA (2017) had the highest scores as regards the currency, contents, and quality. It was graded by 23 audiovestibular medicine consultants and reviewed by four expert reviewers.
Primary, secondary and tertiary care centers & hospitals, and related specialties.
Interpretation of strong and conditional recommendations for an intervention
Audience |
Strong recommendation |
Conditional recommendation |
Patients |
Most individuals in this situation would want the recommended course of action; only a small proportion would not. Formal decision aides are not likely to be needed to help individuals make decisions consistent with their values and preferences. |
Most individuals in this situation would want the suggested course of action, but many would not |
Clinicians |
Most individuals should receive the intervention. Adherence to the recommendation could be used as a quality criterion or performance indicator. |
Different choices will be appropriate for individual patients, who will require assistance in arriving at a management decision consistent with his or her values and preferences. Decision aides may be useful in helping individuals make decisions consistent with their values and preferences. |
Policymakers |
The recommendation can be adopted as policy in most situations. |
Policy-making will require substantial debate and involvement of various stakeholders. |
WHO handbook for guideline development – 2nd ed.
Chapter 10, page 129
The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to Decision frameworks
(GRADE Working Group 2013)
Grade |
Definition |
High
|
We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect. |
Moderate
|
We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different |
Low
|
Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect. |
Very Low
|
We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect |