Audiovisual aids and blood pressure measurement: enhancements to teaching about observer variation.

Abstract

This paper describes the use of different teaching materials in a set designed to instruct medical students and other health personnel in the importance and measurement of observer variation in clinical medicine and health services research. The set comprises: a, handouts with tutor's notes on observer variation (for example in blood pressure recording); b, reprints of published papers; c, 35mm slides describing the principles of assessing observer variation in blood pressure measurement; d, a 16 mm film with synchronized sequences of sphygmomanometer readings and Korotkov sounds; e, a computer program designed to produce tabular and graphical data on individual and group variation in making observations on the film. The approach is useful for introducing multidisciplinary groups to the principles of measuring observer variation, for example in the context of a workshop on research methodology, and in teaching basic techniques for good quality routine blood pressure measurements.