Why use literature reviews in health and social care? Open University course

Why use literature reviews in health and social care? is a free Open University (OU) course which introduces and explains how literature reviews can support evidence-based practice in health and social care. A literature review can offer a systematic way in which to sift through information to produce relevant existing knowledge and discern knowledge gaps. This short course explores different examples of the use of literature reviews that have informed policy and practice; social work with older people, cessation of cigarette smoking in pregnant women and use of mindfulness therapy with respect to older people with dementia and their carers.

This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course K323 Investigating health and social care.