Background
speechBITE is a database of intervention studies across the scope of speech pathology practice. The database provides ready access to citations and, where possible, abstracts from systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, single-case experimental designs and case series. speechBITE also indexes clinical practice guidelines of relevance to speech pathology practice. To assist clinicians with interpreting the methodological quality of the treatment studies, speechBITE provides ratings on the PEDro-P scale for randomised and non-randomised controlled trials.
Launched in 2008, speechBITE is an evidence-based practice initiative between The University of Sydney and Speech Pathology Australia, established in order to help speech pathologists gain faster access to relevant research that can be used in clinical decision-making.
The origins of speechBITE
speechBITE is modeled upon the highly successful NeuroBITE (formerly PsycBITE), which in turn was based in part upon PEDro, an evidence-based practice database for physiotherapists. NeuroBITE is a freely available established database of psychologically based therapies for acquired brain injury rehabilitation which was launched in July 2004. PsycBITE contributed 455 treatment studies on acquired communication disorders and also generously provided the PEDro rating scores for 54 randomised and non-randomised controlled trials for use on the speechBITE website.
Professor Leanne Togher is a founding member of the original PsycBITE committee, alongside Professor Robyn Tate, Professor Skye McDonald and Dr Michael Perdices.
In 2006, Professor Leanne Togher successfully approached Speech Pathology Australia to provide seeding funds for a new database for speech pathologists called speechBITE.
The speechBITE advisory committee was established at The University of Sydney.
Current committee members
Professor Leanne Togher
Project Leader
Senior NHMRC Research Fellow
The University of Sydney
Kate Smith
The University of Sydney
Associate Professor Emma Power
University of Technology Sydney
Professor Tricia McCabe
The University of Sydney
Associate Professor Natalie Munro
Southern Cross University
Dr Elizabeth Murray
The University of Sydney
Dr Melissa Brunner
The University of Sydney
Nichola Shelton
speechBITE Project Manager
The University of Sydney