5,081,904 papers found

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of knowledge and knowledge gaps in the field of computer-based alcohol interventions by (1) collating evidence on the effectiveness of computer-based alcohol interventions in different populations and (2) exploring the impact of four specified moderators of effe…

BACKGROUND: Behavioural science can play a critical role in combatting the effects of an infectious disease outbreak or public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The current paper presents a synthesis of review literature discussing the application of behaviour change theories within an infectious disease…

BACKGROUND: Systematic review guidance recommends the use of programme theory to inform considerations of if and how healthcare interventions may work differently across socio-economic status (SES) groups. This study aimed to address the lack of detail on how reviewers operationalise this in practice. METHODS: A metho…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of brief interventions in the primary health care setting to decrease alcohol consumption in non-alcoholic adult drinkers. METHOD: Systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials published in English and Spanish and indexed in EMBASE, MED…

RATIONALE AND AIM: Clear and logical eligibility criteria are fundamental to the design and conduct of a systematic review. This methodological review examined the quality of reporting and application of eligibility criteria in systematic reviews published in three leading medical journals. METHODS: All systematic rev…

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether, according to the conclusions of a 2000 systematic review with meta-analysis on interventions to prevent pain from propofol injection that provided a research agenda to guide further research on the topic, subsequently published trials were more often optimally blinded, reported on childre…

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression is a significant public health concern that affects women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Despite being acknowledged globally, the burden of perinatal depression is particularly profound in low and middle-income countries, such as Ethiopia. This umbrella review is therefore…

Suicide is a major public health concern and, with recent societal changes, such as economic and technological changes, there may be emerging protective factors that mitigate suicide risk that are unrecognized in emergency healthcare. This systematic review aims to identify protective factors for suicide that can feasi…

BACKGROUND: Selective reporting bias (SRB), the incomplete publication of outcomes measured or of analyses performed in a study, may lead to the over- or underestimation of treatment effects or harms. Cochrane systematic reviews of interventions are required to assess the risk of SRB, achieved in part by applying the C…

Dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish and plant sources is commonly prescribed as a non-farmacological alternative to improve brain functions and slow down the progression of dementia. This use is mostly based on findings of preclinical studies which established the role of omega-3…

Systematic review and meta-analysis are possible as viable research techniques only through transparent reporting of primary research; thus, one might expect meta-analysts to demonstrate best practice in their reporting of results and have a high degree of transparency leading to reproducibility of their work. This ass…

A good medical review article is easily readable and pares down the seemingly overwhelming amount of information available in the literature. The research experience and clinical expertise of the writer do not guarantee valid and relevant recommendations. Uncritical acceptance of information by readers further potentia…

OBJECTIVE: Clinical practice guideline recommendations are often informed by systematic reviews. This review aimed to appraise the reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews informing clinical practice recommendations relevant to vascular surgery. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and Embase. METHODS: MEDLINE and…

BACKGROUND: Search strategies for systematic reviews aim to identify all evidence relevant to the research question posed. Reports of methodological research can be difficult to find leading to biased results in systematic reviews of research methodology. Evidence suggests that contact with investigators can help to id…

INTRODUCTION: Vaginectomy is frequently indicated to ensure an adequate resection in rectal cancer. This paper reviews the success, complications, and functional results after various methods of vaginal reconstruction following resection for rectal tumors. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed b…

INTRODUCTION: In the U.K. more than 40,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year and an estimated 65,000 people are living with lung cancer. The most effective follow-up strategy for these patients is undetermined. This article reports a systematic review of studies comparing different follow-up strategies f…

BACKGROUND: Overviews of systematic reviews attempt to systematically retrieve and summarise the results of multiple systematic reviews. Methods for conducting, interpreting and reporting overviews are in their infancy. To date, there has been no evidence map of the methods used in overviews, thus making it difficult t…

BACKGROUND: Citations in scientific articles may tend to favor the views presented. We studied whether there is such reference bias in narrative review articles that discuss interventions against house dust mites for people with asthma. DESIGN: Systematic review of reviews identified in a Medline search that expressed…

This paper describes the personal experience of two novice reviewers in developing and conducting a systematic litera¬ture review (SLR) in the field of medical ultrasound. The review was performed as part of a PhD study by the first author, which required the researcher to critically review all relevant studies in…