Implications of applying methodological shortcuts to expedite systematic reviews: three case studies using systematic reviews from agri-food public health.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The rapid review is an approach to synthesizing research evidence when a shorter timeframe is required. The implications of what is lost in terms of rigour, increased bias and accuracy when conducting a rapid review have not yet been elucidated.

Methods

We assessed the potential implications of methodological shortcuts on the outcomes of three completed systematic reviews addressing agri-food public health topics. For each review, shortcuts were applied individually to assess the impact on the number of relevant studies included and whether omitted studies affected the direction, magnitude or precision of summary estimates from meta-analyses.

Results

In most instances, the shortcuts resulted in at least one relevant study being omitted from the review. The

SUBMITTER: Pham MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5215373 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature