Just how plain are plain tobacco packs: re-analysis of a systematic review using multilevel meta-analysis suggests lessons about the comparative benefits of synthesis methods.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Comparisons between narrative synthesis and meta-analysis as synthesis methods in systematic reviews are uncommon within the same systematic review. We re-analysed a systematic review on the effects of plain packaging of tobacco on attractiveness. We sought to compare different synthesis approaches within the same systematic review and shed light on the comparative benefits of each approach.

Methods

In our re-analysis, we included results relating to attractiveness in included reports. We extracted findings from studies and converted all estimates of differences in attractiveness to Cohen's d. We used multilevel meta-analysis to account for clustering of effect sizes within studies.

Results

Of the 19 studies reporting results on attractiveness, seven studie

SUBMITTER: Melendez-Torres GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6173910 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature