The ability to critically read health research literature and determine its validity is a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and health care (EBHC). Using this knowledge, along with their individual clinical experience and the preferences of their patients, to make informed decisions about treatment is an essential skill for a healthcare practitioner. This fully updated edition of a highly successful text educates the principles of research study methodology and design, along with core elements of biostatistics and epidemiology as applied to health care studies. A new chapter on EBM and the media has been added in response to increasing awareness of misinformation from traditional and social media. Accompanying online resources will enable readers to test their learning through a series of questions and exercises, accessible through a code printed inside the book. This is an ideal introductory text for medical and health sciences students and a wide range of other healthcare professionals.