Zur Frage der klinischen Signifikanz in deutschen rehabilitationswissenschaftlichen Interventionsstudien - eine Bestandsaufnahme der gängigen Praxis

Objective It is investigated whether and how the issue of clinical significance is treated in German rehabilitation trials. Methods Review of 64 articles published between 2012 and 2016, which report data on at least 2 measuring times and involve German scientists and rehabilitation facilities. Results Clinical significance is mentioned in 28% of the articles, defined by 19%, and 13% provide justification for the definition. Statistics suitable for determining clinical significance are reported by 70% but no more than 28% actually use these statistics for this purpose. The most commonly used statistics are measures of effect size (45%). They are interpreted schematically according to Cohen's categories without further reflection. Conclusion Determining and discussing the clinical significance of results is recognizable in the majority of cases only to some extent or non-existing.