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Table 2 Version characteristics, distributions of student responses, and comparisons of versions of the scenario.

From: Interpretation of evidence in data by untrained medical students: a scenario-based study

 

Version A

Version B

Version C

Version D

A vs. B

A vs C

C vs. D

P value (H0: absence of disease)

0.04

0.11

0.08

0.08

   

Evidence from p value favours

Disease

No disease

No disease

No disease

   

Likelihood ratio (LR) in favour of disease

0.25

4

0.25

0.125

   

Evidence from LR favours

No disease

Disease

No disease

No disease

   

Interpretation of result:

    

p < 0.001

p = 0.34

p = 0.020

   For

21 (7.5)

169 (69.0)

9 (5.5)

5 (3.3)

   

   Against

122 (43.6)

11 (4.5)

83 (50.3)

56 (36.8)

   

   Neither for nor against

137 (48.9)

65 (26.5)

73 (44.2)

91 (59.9)

   

Interpreted the result as for or against disease

143 (51.1)

180 (73.5)

92 (55.8)

61 (40.1)

p < 0.001

p = 0.34

p = 0.005

Interpretation excluding the undecided

    

p < 0.001

p = 0.27

p = 0.74

   For

21 (14.7)

169 (93.9)

9 (9.8)

5 (8.2)

   

   Against

122 (85.3)

11 (6.1)

83 (90.2)

56 (91.8)

   

Strength of evidence among majority opinion

(N = 122)

(N = 169)

(N = 83)

(N = 56)

P < 0.001

linear trend

p = 0.43

linear trend

p = 0.58

linear trend

   Very strong

5 (4.1)

2 (1.2)

1 (1.2)

3 (5.4)

   

   Strong

22 (18.0)

54 (32.0)

13 (15.7)

12 (21.4)

   

   Moderate

39 (32.0)

95 (56.2)

28 (33.7)

12 (21.4)

   

   Weak

51 (41.8)

17 (10.1)

39 (47.0)

26 (46.4)

   

   Absent

5 (4.1)

1 (0.6)

2 (2.4)

3 (5.4)

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