Resource
The Cochrane Collaboration is a free online resource that brings you rigorous, independent reviews of best research evidence regarding treatment decisions. In fact, when I have a clinical question about a particular intervention or management of a condition, the Cochrane Library is often my first port of call. I've written in the past about how, in New Zealand, you can access systematic reviews from the Cochrane Collaboration for free, but this column is about a relatively new development: communication of Cochrane Reviews by podcast.The Cochrane Podcast provides audio recording of summaries from a selection of recent Cochrane reviews. Of the podcasts I've listened to so far, the reviewers who completed the work provide some of the commentary, which is a nice touch. Every couple of months, the Cochrane group releases a newsletter listing the new additions to the podcast library. Furthermore, you can subscribe to receive updates on new podcast through iTunes or you can subscribe an RSS feed to receive text updates on new podcasts as they are uploaded.
So you can do it, but do you want to? Well, on one hand I've found the selection of reviews available fairly interesting. I've included a random list of examples from the last few months at the bottom of this column. I've also included a summary of one of these Cochrane Reviews in another NZRA column this month. On the other hand however, I wonder when I would ever be likely to listen to podcasts on Cochrane Reviews on a regular basis. I suppose I could imagine downloading podcasts to listen to while I'm painting the roof or going for a run, but the thought of falling off my roof or getting run over because I'm zoning out to ‘Rehabilitation for ankle fractures in adults: A Cochrane Review' is slightly too ironic for comfort.
Visit the website, have a listen to a few podcasts and let me know in the comments box below what you think.
Examples of some of the Cochrane podcasts available from recent months:
William Levack
