5,085,241 papers found

BACKGROUND: Rapid reviews are of increasing importance within health technology assessment due to time and resource constraints. There are many rapid review methods available although there is little guidance as to the most suitable methods. We present three case studies employing differing methods to suit the evidence…

OBJECTIVE: The project identified a set of core competencies for librarians who are involved in systematic reviews. METHODS: A team of seven informationists with broad systematic review experience examined existing systematic review standards, conducted a literature search, and used their own expertise to identify cor…

Post-publication peer review (PPPR) is transforming how the life sciences community evaluates published manuscripts and data. Unsurprisingly, however, PPPR is experiencing growing pains, and some elements of the process distinct from standard pre-publication review remain controversial. I discuss the rapid evolution of…

BACKGROUND: Rapid reviews are increasingly being used to help policy makers access research in short time frames. A clear articulation of the review's purpose, questions, scope, methods and reporting format is thought to improve the quality and generalisability of review findings. The aim of the study is to explore the…

The first and most important decision in preparing any systematic review is to clearly frame the question the review team seeks to answer. However, this is not always straightforward, particularly if synthesis teams are interested in the effects of complex interventions. In this article, we discuss how to formulate goo…

Scientific review articles are comprehensive, focused reviews of the scientific literature written by subject matter experts. The task of writing a scientific review article can seem overwhelming; however, it can be managed by using an organized approach and devoting sufficient time to the process. The process involves…

BACKGROUND: In October 2004, a flawed systematic review entitled "Interactive Health Communication Applications for People with Chronic Disease" was published in the Cochrane Library, accompanied by several press releases in which authors warned the public of the negative health consequences of interactive health commu…

Most biomedical journals include review articles that pretend to provide the readers with an updated, synthetic and critical appraisal of some important topic. These articles are usually written by experts in the topics reviewed. There are no conventional or universally accepted requisites for the formal organization o…

Systematic reviews hold significant academic weight, but poor execution can render them misleading and unreliable. To help improve the quality of systematic reviews, the peer review process plays a crucial role. Peer reviewing systematic reviews requires a distinct skill set compared to reviewing primary research studi…

BACKGROUND: Literature reviews evaluate the evidence currently available concerning a particular phenomenon of interest. They are essential tools that offer healthcare professionals insights into existing knowledge, identify gaps and guide future studies. There are different types of literature review, each of which ha…

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of systematic reviews has impacted library operations and activities as librarians support, collaborate, and perform more tasks in the systematic review process. This case report describes a toolkit that librarians with extensive experience in supporting multiple review teams use to manage…

To meet the current needs of researchers who perform systematic reviews in health care settings, libraries need to provide high-quality educational services for researchers as part of their systematic review services. A team of librarians with diverse skills is also important for ensuring the growth and sustainability…

INTRODUCTION: People with intellectual disabilities experience health inequalities at a greater level than their non-disabled peers. Notably, while general health status is starting to receive some attention, the reproductive health and rights of people with intellectual disabilities continue to be understudied from a…

INTRODUCTION: Children with developmental disability (DD) may depend on their family caregivers to fulfil their complex health needs. Family caregivers are generally described as persons providing unpaid for services for the child with DD at home who need to be supported in a manner that supports and promotes his/her w…

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is an emerging public health problem due to the inevitable consequences of nutritional transition. An increasing number of studies have reported the DBM in Ethiopian populations. However, organised and summarised national evidence is not yet available. Th…

The author comments on the value of review articles, narrative and systematic, to both the reader and to the writer. Based on personal experience he advocates the publication of reviews in the local medical journal for greater impact. Review articles should not be underrated by academic institutions as they often serve…

BACKGROUND: Adding, omitting or changing outcomes after a systematic review protocol is published can result in bias because it increases the potential for unacknowledged or post hoc revisions of the planned analyses. The main objective of this study was to look for discrepancies between primary outcomes listed in prot…

BACKGROUND: Obesity and dental caries are global public health problems which can impact in childhood and throughout the life course. In simple terms, childhood dental caries and body weight are linked via the common risk factor of diet. An association between dental caries and obesity has been described in a number of…