PT Inquest 308 Description, Prediction, and Causation in Research
Sep 5, 2023
Dr. Justin Losciale, a special guest researcher from the University of British Columbia, joins the show to discuss the confusion in sport and exercise medicine research. Topics covered include the perception of Canadians, the food scene in Vancouver, eponyms and brand names, the argument of addressing risk factors in clinical practice, analyzing research process and limitations, the lack of progress in identifying causal factors, and upcoming research projects and papers.
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Clear Distinction Between Study Types
- Researchers commonly confuse descriptive, predictive, and causal studies, which distorts interpretation and clinical use.
- Justin Losciale urges clear differentiation to improve research quality and patient outcomes.
COVID Quarantine Sparked The Paper
- Justin started this project while quarantined during COVID after repeatedly reading 'risk factor' in many papers until the term lost meaning.
- He noticed interchangeable labels and misapplied implications across studies and pursued a corrective viewpoint.
Use A Three‑Phase Research Model
- Follow a three-phase model: descriptive (phase 1), predictive/causal testing (phase 2), then confirmatory RCTs or validation (phase 3).
- Design studies for their explicit goal and avoid labeling findings beyond that phase.