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Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. A
review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select,
and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the studies that are
included in the review. Generally, you should use both approaches together whenever possible. It
also discusses strategies for selecting and critically assessing relevant research. Understanding the
Differences Between a Systematic Review vs Meta Analysis Automate every stage of your literature
review to produce evidence-based research faster and more accurately. The PhD scholarship of Wen
Dang was supported by the internal grant of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau.
Perspect Clin Res. 2015;6(3):169. Fletcher J. What is heterogeneity and is it important? BMJ.
2007;334:94. Hemming K, Hughes JP, McKenzie JE, Forbes AB. For example, kinesiologists
studying heart disease will review the literature to identify acceptable measurement methods,
whereas anthropologists researching intersections of culture and technology need to examine the
literature to identify different categories of analysis. Reviewed articles may be summarized in the
form of tables, and can be further structured using organizing frameworks such as a concept matrix.
Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS
Med. 2009 Jul 21;6(7):e1000097. They address the entire systematic review process, from locating,
screening, and selecting studies for the review, to synthesizing the findings (including meta-analysis)
and assessing the overall quality of the body of evidence, to producing the final review report. Use
PRISMA-ScR, a 20-item checklist, for reporting scoping reviews. The study descriptor table shows
information about the characteristics of included studies, like study design, study region, participant
information, etc. Fifth, situate your own research within the current literature in your field. The
Cochrane Review defines the “summary of findings table” as a structured tabular format in which
the primary findings of a review, particularly information related to the quality of evidence, the
magnitude of the effects of the studied interventions, and the aggregate of available data on the
main outcomes, are presented. National Bureau of Statistics of China: National Bureau of Statistics
of China register. 2023.. Accessed 15 Feb 2023. This involves extensive planning, and a deliberately
designed search strategy that is in tune with the specific research question. Efficacy of autologous
platelet-rich plasma use for orthopaedic indications: a meta-analysis. Log scale is used to combine the
data to estimate the weighting. No, that is a separate template, which you can download for free
here. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ.
2021;372:n71. Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Hall MJ, Schwartzman A, Zhang J,
Liu X. A review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to
identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the
studies that are included in the review. This page describes scoping reviews, including their
limitations, alternate names, and how they differ from traditional systematic reviews. Report this
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If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not
permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission
directly from the copyright holder. Bull World Health Organ. 2019;97(3):230.. Geretti AM, Austin H,
Villa G, Smith C, Sabin C, Tsang R, et al. This can be a new and potentially challenging experience
for students and researchers who are used to just repeating what is already in the literature.
Publication and level of evidence trends in the American journal of sports medicine from 1996 to
2011. Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B among people aged 1-59 years in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous
region, 2018. Doctors need reliable information on such problems and on the effectiveness of large
number of therapeutic interventions, but the information sources are too many, i.e., nearly 20,000
journals publishing 2 million articles per year with unclear or confusing results.
This may potentially restrict the generalizability of our findings regarding HBV prevalence in the
eastern region. A meta-analysis estimated the prevalence of HBV within China between 2013 and
2017 as 7%. There are at least 100 sources in a 100-page thesis (in the body). Cochrane RevMan 5.0
Download RevMan for Non-Cochrane Reviews (Cochrane Training) Survey or Form Software
(Qualtrics, Poll Everywhere) Survey or form tools can help you create custom forms with many
different question types, such as multiple choice, drop downs, ranking, and more. Embed Host your
publication on your website or blog with just a few clicks. Meta-analysis of effect estimates, and its
extensions have many advantages. Transparent and reproducible in reporting details of time frame,
search and methods to minimize bias. Analysis on new born hepatitis B immunization coverage and
pregnant women hospital delivery rate in different regions. It may help to consult other similar
systematic reviews to identify what data to collect or to think about your question in a framework
such as PICO. Among the available electronic scientific database, the popular ones are PUBMED,
MEDLINE, and EMBASE. An advantage of meta-analysis is that it has the ability to be completely
objective in evaluating the research parameter. The data is also analyzed for heterogeneity (variation
within outcomes), and generalizability (similarities between outcomes) within the individual studies,
which facilitates more effective clinical decision making. According to Cochrane (1), a systematic
review attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence to answer a specific
research question. Rather, it’s to convince them that your position on the research question is more
accurate than the opposing point of views. Investigation on prevalence of HBsAg and HBsAb in
population aged 1 to 69 years in Jiangxi Province in 2020. Double-blinding, which is acceptable for
clinical trials but not for psychological or non-pharmacological treatments, significantly impacts this
metric. You can always check our plagiarism score before submitting your work to help ease your
mind. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts, with an introduction, a main
body, and a conclusion. Sometimes, you may want to include a fifth component, the type of study
design. In both stand-alone and embedded historiographies, you must support your arguments and
analyses with examples from the sources. Where possible, however, both relative and absolute
measures of effect should be provided. The quality of reporting of systematic reviews is still not
optimal. This is a crucial step, and one that review authors need to address carefully. Second, look
into research already conducted on the topic. Literature Review, Systematic Review and Meta-
analysis Literature reviews can be a good way to narrow down theoretical interests; refine a research
question; understand contemporary debates; and orientate a particular research project. The aim is
breadth rather than depth and to get a general feel for the size of the topic area. Synthesize it by
rephrasing the importance of the study and connecting it to your own work. Adobe InDesign Design
pixel-perfect content like flyers, magazines and more with Adobe InDesign. If you don’t have
enough data, or the data from different studies aren’t comparable, then you can take just a narrative
approach. It is a well-known and well-respected multinational non-profit organisation that promotes,
funds, and disseminates systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effectiveness of healthcare
interventions (2).
Rapid reviews to strengthen health policy and systems: a practical guide This guide from the World
Health Organization offers guidance on how to plan, conduct, and promote the use of rapid reviews
to strengthen health policy and systems decisions. LibGuides: Systematic Reviews: Types of
Systematic Reviews Meta-analysis is a statistical method that can be applied during a systematic
review to extract and combine the results from multiple studies. Space for comments. As a measure
of the magnitude of effect, for dichotomous outcomes the table will usually provide both a relative
measure (e.g. risk ratio or odds ratio) and measures of absolute risk. It's like a masterclass to be
explored at your own pace. As for the subgroup of age groups, HBsAg positive cases in people aged
?18?years old were reported in 14 articles and people We systematically evaluated peer-reviewed
studies published in English or Chinese describing HBV prevalence in China from 2018 to 2022 to
provide an updated meta-analysis from a previous meta-analysis. Also there may be other
'Instructions to Authors' provided by the journals or organisations in which you plan to publish. Give
a thorough overview of each theme, integrating source data, and conclude with a summary of the
current state of knowledge then suggestions for future research based upon your evaluation of what
is lacking in the literature. Cochrane Primary Health Care Field is a systematic review of primary
healthcare research on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and diagnostic test accuracy. Our meta-
analysis and previous meta-analysis identified similar prevalence of HBV in both males and females.
Surgical trends in the treatment of meniscal tears: analysis of data from the American Board of
Orthopaedic Surgery Certification Examination Database. A measure of the typical burden of these
outcomes (e.g. illustrative risk, or illustrative mean, on control intervention). We are grateful to Julian
Higgins, James Thomas and Tianjing Li for commenting helpfully on earlier drafts. Deciding on the
best approach will depend on the purpose of the table and the stage of the review. It’s a statistical
analysis that combines the results of two or more studies, usually to estimate an effect size. The PhD
scholarship of Wen Dang was supported by the internal grant of the Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Macau. However, in most areas, terminology is variable, making it difficult to compare
the PICO of each included study to the PICO for each synthesis, or to compare PICO elements
across studies. They minimize research bias by considering all available evidence and evaluating each
study for bias. The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to: The two approaches of
evaluating all the available evidence on an issue i.e., systematic reviews and meta-analysis, Discuss
the steps in doing a systematic review, Introduce the terms used in systematic reviews and meta-
analysis, Interpret results of a meta-analysis, and The advantages and disadvantages of systematic
review and meta-analysis. Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Cochrane
Reviews links to learn more about Systematic Reviews. You can adapt examples to suit your
systematic review. Test the data collection table (optional).? Collect (extract) the data.? Review the
data collected for any errors.? For accuracy, two or more people should extract data from each study.
Registering your protocol means submitting it to a database such as PROSPERO or
ClinicalTrials.gov. Step 3: Search for all relevant studies Searching for relevant studies is the most
time-consuming step of a systematic review. In our subgroup analysis, the prevalence of HBV was
highest among studies in the eastern regions of China. Why do the evidence tables and scores focus
on GRADE. This is followed by an extensive search of the literature and a critical analysis of the
search results. Hepatitis B seroprevalences among a 1-69-year-old population of Qinghai province in
2020. PDF Preparing Summary of Findings (SoF) Tables of this document is to provide instructions
for authors on preparing Summary of Findings (SoF) tables in reviews. A manual or guide may help
your team establish standards. In: Espregueira-Mendes, J., Karlsson, J., Musahl, V., Ayeni, O.R. (eds)
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. Bull World Health Organ. 2019;97(3):230.. Geretti AM, Austin H,
Villa G, Smith C, Sabin C, Tsang R, et al.
Also note when your sources were published and if any important social, political, or economic
events occurred at roughly the same time. Hollands GJ, Shemilt I, Marteau TM, Jebb SA, Lewis
HB, Wei Y, Higgins JPT, Ogilvie D. The documentation contains an excellent rationale for
completing a protocol, too. Most Cochrane Reviews on the effects of interventions will include
some type of statistical synthesis. Research pearls: the significance of statistics and perils of pooling.
There are at least 100 sources in a 100-page thesis (in the body). Systematic reviews can also
demonstrate where knowledge is lacking. Other more detailed guidelines and criteria, such as the
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), as well as articles with recommendations
for improving quality in RCTs and meta-analyses for psychological intervention, are available (4).
Most integrative reviews are intended to address mature topics or emerging topics. Log scale is used
to combine the data to estimate the weighting. A review is an article that summarizes a number of
primary studies and may draw conclusions on the topic of interest which can be traditional
(unsystematic) or systematic. The authors provided a rationale for the change and noted that it was a
post-hoc decision. 9.3.5 Synthesize the characteristics of the studies contributing to each comparison
(step 2.5) A final step, and one that is essential for interpreting combined effects, is to synthesize the
characteristics of studies contributing to each comparison. Meta-analysis of observational studies in
epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. Your strategy will depend on your field and your research
question, but sources generally fall into these four categories: Databases: Search multiple databases
of peer-reviewed literature, such as PubMed or Scopus. If the author has a common surname,
include the first name's initial only. In general, specific and systematic methods selected are intended
to minimize bias. In this review, the authors pre-specified a set of decision rules for selecting specific
outcomes within the outcome domains. Transparent and reproducible in reporting details of time
frame, search and methods to minimize bias. Strategic Publishing Guide Strategic publishing guide
by DVC-R and the Library Think Check Submit Think. Check. Submit. helps researchers identify
trusted journals for their research. The researcher tries to identify the main concepts, theories, and
evidence, as well as gaps in the current research. Most often, this type of literature review was used
in allied health professions and clinical medicine to analyze previous findings of the studies. This
may potentially restrict the generalizability of our findings regarding HBV prevalence in the eastern
region. Second, look into research already conducted on the topic. Ayeni Section Editor information
UPMC Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Volker Musahl MD Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, McMaster
University, Hamilton, ON, Canada Mohit Bhandari Mark R. It is therefore an approach for
systematically combining pertinent qualitative and quantitative study data from several included
studies to establish a single conclusion that has significant statistical power. JBI maintains a page
with other materials for scoping reviewers. Characteristics of age groups of the studies included in
the meta-analysis Additional file 4: Table S3. Articles Get discovered by sharing your best content as
bite-sized articles. The role of scoping reviews in reducing research waste This article from the
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology looks at how scoping reviews can reduce research waste. Can I
include literature that contradicts my hypothesis.
Step 1: Complete Pre-Review Tasks Step 2: Develop a Protocol Step 3: Conduct Literature Searches
Step 4: Manage Citations Step 5: Screen Citations Step 6: Assess Quality of Included Studies About
Step 7: Extract Data from Included Studies About data extraction, select a data extraction tool, what
should i extract, helpful tip- data extraction. For example, kinesiologists studying heart disease will
review the literature to identify acceptable measurement methods, whereas anthropologists
researching intersections of culture and technology need to examine the literature to identify
different categories of analysis. It’s typical to have an entire chapter devoted to reporting the result
of this task, identifying gaps in the literature and framing the collection of additional data. Not every
systematic review contains a meta-analysis. Doctors need reliable information on such problems and
on the effectiveness of large number of therapeutic interventions, but the information sources are too
many, i.e., nearly 20,000 journals publishing 2 million articles per year with unclear or confusing
results. Narrative reviews are mostly descriptive, do not require a systematic search of the literature,
and concentrate on a subset of studies in a field selected based on availability or author preference.
Chapter 6, Searching for Studies, is most helpful in planning your review. Next, the reviewers
extract the relevant data and assess the quality of the included studies. Systematic Review Software
(Covidence) Most systematic review software tools have data extraction functionality that can save
you time and effort. The line in the middle is called “the line of no effect.” The weight (in %) in the
fifth column indicates the weighting or influence of the study on the overall results of the meta-
analysis of all included studies. We describe the preliminary steps undertaken before performing the
statistical synthesis. Fullscreen Sharing Deliver a distraction-free reading experience with a simple
link. Using comprehensive and exhaustive searching of the published and unpublished literature,
searching various databases, reports, and grey literature. But it can also be misleading if it is
performed with data that are not sufficiently similar, or with data whose methodological quality is
poor (for example, because the study participants were not properly randomized). The provincial and
city scale surveys of HBV prevalence in the general population in China could be expanded, where
possible. Searching for grey literature for systematic reviews: challenges and benefits. The AHRQ
was scored using a sum score of the first 10 items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of
methodological quality. It may be able to reduce the need for additional trials. Good synthesis is
about putting the data gathered, references read, and literature analyzed together in a new way that
shows connections and relationships. ( Shellenbarger, 2016 ). Strategic Publishing Guide Strategic
publishing guide by DVC-R and the Library Think Check Submit Think. Check. Submit. helps
researchers identify trusted journals for their research. An explanation for the high variability in
prevalence among studies could be different in population types. The examples described in this
section illustrate approaches for making this process more transparent. 9.3 Preliminary steps of a
synthesis 9.3.1 summarize the characteristics of each study (step 2.1). A starting point for synthesis is
to summarize the PICO characteristics of each study (i.e. the PICO of the included studies, see
Chapter 3 ) and categorize these PICO elements in the groups (or domains) pre-specified in the
protocol (i.e. the PICO for each synthesis). Here is where you can find an amazing research literature
review sample. Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for
Nurses. An advantage of meta-analysis is that it has the ability to be completely objective in
evaluating the research parameter. The data is also analyzed for heterogeneity (variation within
outcomes), and generalizability (similarities between outcomes) within the individual studies, which
facilitates more effective clinical decision making. Using the Research Table This is an example of a
research table, in which you provide a basic description of the most important features of the studies,
articles, and other items you discover in your research. It informs readers about what already exists
but they may not be aware of. Also, be sure to adhere to your style guidelines because headings, title
pages, references lists, and other sections or formatting features may differ. This may be sufficient in
areas with consistent and widely understood terminology that matches the PICO for each synthesis.
However, the prevalence of HBV in rural areas and eastern regions was still higher than the national
average. Robert David Smith supervised the study design and provided advice, review, and content
modification. There are several possible reasons why our analysis and the 2017 review identified
different patterns in HBV prevalence by region. Analysis on economic efficacy regarding previous
strategies and current recommendations for vaccination against hepatitis B virus in China. The first is
the studies that researchers publish after performing the experiments firsthand. Planning
contingencies for anticipated scenarios is likely to lead to less post-hoc decision making ( Chapter 2
and Chapter 3 ); however, it is difficult to plan for all scenarios. Explain why this has been the case
and how these approaches enhance or limit current understandings of the topic. Check here for
templates, reporting standards, screening tools, risk of bias assessment, etc. This suggests that in the
future, HBV prevention focus should be on the highest-prevalence areas and high-risk populations.
Helpful Professor. Search for a Study Guide Search Ready to Write your Essay. While these meta-
analyses are frequently published in literature, they are considered suboptimal to those involving
RCTs. Where possible, however, both relative and absolute measures of effect should be provided. A
systematic review is best deployed to test a specific hypothesis about a healthcare or public health
intervention or exposure. Additionally, due to the lack of national-scale surveys, the results of the
meta-analyses may not reflect the true prevalence of HBV in the general population in China.
Research pearls: the significance of statistics and perils of pooling. Embed Host your publication on
your website or blog with just a few clicks. This will serve as the basis for your thesis statement. The
line in the middle is called “the line of no effect.” The weight (in %) in the fifth column indicates the
weighting or influence of the study on the overall results of the meta-analysis of all included studies.
Analytical Research Papers Similar to analytical essay, and usually in the form of a question, an
analytical research paper looks at an issue from a neutral point and gives a clear analysis of the issue.
Once a concrete evidence base has been identified, the researcher extracts relevant data before
reporting the synthesized results in an extended piece of writing. While a research paper is like an
academic essay, it tends to be longer and more detailed. Filtering is important here as there will be
time constraints that prevent the researcher considering every possible piece of evidence or
theoretical viewpoint. Tabulating the measurement tools and time frames as shown in Table 9.3.b
allows assessment of the potential for multiplicity (i.e. when multiple outcomes within a study and
outcome domain are available for inclusion ( Chapter 3, Section 3.2.4.3 )). In this example,
multiplicity arises in two ways. Although meta-analysis is a subset of systematic reviews, a
systematic review may or may not include a meta-analysis. North Am J Med Sci. 2011;4(1) World
Health Organization. Researchers who have to conduct meta-analyses on observational studies ought
to carefully consider whether all included studies are able to answer the same clinical question.
Chapter 6, Searching for Studies, is most helpful in planning your review. Because most historical
writing uses the Chicago Manual of Style as a reference system, most historiographies will also
require you to use the Chicago Manual of Style. Since reviews published in other outlets do not need
to be listed as such, they should state in the title that they are a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Simply save any potentially relevant citations using bibliographic software, such as Scribbr’s APA or
MLA Generator.
Joanne E McKenzie, Sue E Brennan, Rebecca E Ryan, Hilary J Thomson, Renea V Johnston Key
Points: Synthesis is a process of bringing together data from a set of included studies with the aim of
drawing conclusions about a body of evidence. They answered the question “What is the
effectiveness of probiotics in reducing eczema symptoms and improving quality of life in patients
with eczema?” In this context, a probiotic is a health product that contains live microorganisms and
is taken by mouth. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Dealth, 18 (2), 704.
Test the data collection table (optional).? Collect (extract) the data.? Review the data collected for
any errors.? For accuracy, two or more people should extract data from each study. An important part
of planning the analysis strategy is building in contingencies to use alternative methods when the
desired method cannot be used. Table 9.5.a Overview of available methods for summary and
synthesis 9.6 Chapter information Authors: Joanne E McKenzie, Sue E Brennan, Rebecca E Ryan,
Hilary J Thomson, Renea V Johnston Acknowledgements: Sections of this chapter build on Chapter
9 of version 5.1 of the Handbook, with editors Jonathan Deeks, Julian Higgins and Douglas Altman.
GIFs Highlight your latest work via email or social media with custom GIFs. It is especially
important to consider other disciplines when you do not find much on your topic in one discipline.
As a result, it is possible and encouraged to publish abbreviated versions of the review in other
applicable scholarly journals; indeed, engaging in a review update or joining a well-established
review team may be a beneficial way to get involved in the systematic review process. However, we
both found the prevalence of HBV increased with age. It tests your own research question against
what is already known about the subject. The data is also analyzed for heterogeneity (variation
within outcomes), and generalizability (similarities between outcomes) within the individual studies,
which facilitates more effective clinical decision making. More Features Connections Canva Create
professional content with Canva, including presentations, catalogs, and more. The fourth column
visually displays the study results. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and
meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. PLoS
Med. 2009 Jul 21;6(7):e1000100. The risk of perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission: hepatitis B e
antigen (HBeAg) prevalence estimates for all world regions. Log scale is used to combine the data to
estimate the weighting. Each term refers to research about research, but there are important
differences. China has made significant strides in reducing HBV prevalence, but internationally, the
prevalence remains relatively high compared to other countries. Analytical Research Papers Similar to
analytical essay, and usually in the form of a question, an analytical research paper looks at an issue
from a neutral point and gives a clear analysis of the issue. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Synthesize it by rephrasing the importance of the study and connecting it to your own work.
PRISMA flow chart. Footnote: HBV, Hepatitis B virus; HCV, Hepatitis C Virus; HIV, Human
Immunodeficiency Virus; PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-
Analyses All included studies accounted for a total sample size of 99,816 participants with a total
number of HBsAg positive cases of 3016 (3%). Thus, a systematic review is where you might find
the most relevant, adequate, and current information regarding a specific topic. Hepatitis B virus
infection: epidemiology and vaccination. It’s also crucial to determine what types of experiments to
include and exclude (e.g., RCTs only, RCTs and quasi-experimental designs, qualitative research),
the minimum number of participants in each group, published and unpublished studies, and language
restrictions. A meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of a systematic
review. Formulate a clear, well-defined research question of appropriate scope. Cornell University
Systematic Review Decision Tree This decision tree is designed to assist researchers in choosing a
review type. The exact information will depend on your research question, but it might include the
year, study design, sample size, context, research findings, and conclusions.