Abstract
Background
Pre-registration of a clinical trial before the first participant is recruited can
help to prevent selective outcome reporting and salami-slicing that can distort the
evidence base for an intervention and result in people being offered care or treatment
that is not effective. Rates of clinical trial registration in nursing and midwifery
are low.
Aim
To use a hypothetical example from midwifery practice to illustrate how selective
outcome reporting and salami-slicing can distort the evidence base.
Findings
A trial of immersion in water during labour and birth is used to consider issues in
outcome selection and how researchers may be drawn to switch primary outcomes or report
different outcomes across multiple papers.
Discussion
In nursing and midwifery science, selective outcome and salami reporting are seemingly
common. Prospective trial registration is intended to prevent these practices, enhancing
the quality and integrity of the work.
Conclusion
Clinical trials are a robust form of primary research evidence and directly impact
clinical practice. Researchers must ensure their trials are correctly registered and
editors need to reconcile submitted papers and registration entries as part of the
review process.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 02, 2021
Accepted:
July 25,
2021
Received in revised form:
July 25,
2021
Received:
May 23,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
