Social network analysis identified central outcomes for core outcome sets using systematic reviews of HIV/AIDS.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Methods to develop core outcome sets, the minimum outcomes that should be measured in research in a topic area, vary. We applied social network analysis methods to understand outcome co-occurrence patterns in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS systematic reviews and identify outcomes central to the network of outcomes in HIV/AIDS.

Study design and setting

We examined all Cochrane reviews of HIV/AIDS as of June 2013. We defined a tie as two outcomes (nodes) co-occurring in ≥2 reviews. To identify central outcomes, we used normalized node betweenness centrality (nNBC) (the extent to which connections between other outcomes in a network rely on that outcome as an intermediary). We conducted a subgroup analysis by HIV/AIDS intervention type (i.e., clinical manage

SUBMITTER: Saldanha IJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4733392 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature