Cochrane Review author training workshop, January 22-23, 2009 at the University of Calgary Health Sciences Centre

1. Study Selection
for Systematic Reviews
January 2009
Diane Lorenzetti MLS
Centre for Health & Policy Studies
Institute of Health Economics
dllorenz@ucalgary.ca

2. Process Decisions
• How will search results be organized for reviewers?
• Will more than 1 author on the team screen titles and
abstracts?
• Full text screening requires 2 independent authors – who will
they be? Content vs non-content experts.
• Resolving disagreements….consensus, 3rd reviewer or a
combination?
• Pre-testing of screening criteria – criteria linked to PICOS
• Translating full-text of included studies published in other
languages
• How will reviewers will record their decisions/comments –
consistency among reviewers
• How will decision results be collated?

3. Abstract screening process
1. Merge search results from various databases/other sources
using a reference management software package
(RefWorks, Reference Manager, EndNote etc….)
2. Remove duplicate results
3. Examine titles/abstracts against inclusion/exclusion criteria
to eliminate irrelevant studies
4. At abstract screening stage, err on the side of inclusiveness
– you may not be able to apply all screening criteria to every
abstract
5. Retrieve full text reports of included studies

4. Full text screening process
• Identify and link multiple reports on the same study – each
study included in a meta-analysis must be unique to avoid
bias
• Apply inclusion/exclusion criteria to full-text studies
• 2 authors should independently review each paper
• Correspond with study authors if you require additional
details not provided in the full-text papers
• Decide which papers will be included in your review

5. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE
CANCER SCREENING UPTAKE AMONG ASIAN WOMEN
• ___________________________________________________
• STUDY SELECTION REVIEW FORM
•
• Reviewer
•  DL  HQ  ML  SS  SM
•
• Article ID/First Author: ______________________________________
•
•
Yes No Uncertain
•   
Topic: Breast OR Cervical Cancer Screening
•   
Screening Method: Mammography OR Pap Smear
•   
Purpose: Evaluation of Intervention to Increase Initial Uptake
•   
Population: Chinese, Vietnamese, non-American Indian
• or other Asian populations
•   
Study Design: RCT or Cohort
•   
Decision: Included in review?
•
•
• Note: Papers coded as Uncertain by all reviewers at the abstract screening stage will be retrieved for further study
•

6. Questions? Comments?