Question

An OTR®; is looking for evidence to support a new mental health intervention. In searching the literature, the OTR finds several pieces of Level IV evidence but no evidence at Levels I, II, or III about the intervention. What can the OTR conclude about the evidence regarding the efficacy of the new mental health intervention?

A. The literature contains enough evidence to justify the efficacy of the intervention.
B. The literature does not contain enough evidence to justify the efficacy of the intervention.
C. The literature does not contain the level of evidence necessary to justify the efficacy of the intervention.
D. The literature contains the level of evidence necessary to justify the efficacy of the intervention.

Answer 1

An OTR® finding only Level IV evidence for a mental health intervention can deduce that there is not enough evidence of appropriate quality to justify the intervention's efficacy. The correct option is B. The literature does not contain enough evidence to justify the efficacy of the intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR®) finds only Level IV evidence supporting a new mental health intervention, with no evidence at Levels I, II, or III, they can conclude that the literature does not contain the level of evidence necessary to justify the efficacy of the intervention.

Levels I through III represent higher-quality evidence, including randomized control trials, cohort studies, and systematic reviews. Level IV evidence typically includes case series and expert opinion, which are considered less reliable for establishing intervention efficacy.

Therefore, OTR® should continue to seek out higher levels of evidence and consider the current evidence with caution when determining whether to implement the new intervention in practice.

The correct option is B. The literature does not contain enough evidence to justify the efficacy of the intervention.