Harms in Systematic Reviews Paper 1: An introduction to research on harms.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Most systematic reviews of interventions focus on potential benefits. Common methods and assumptions that are appropriate for assessing benefits can be inappropriate for harms. This paper provides a primer on researching harms, particularly in systematic reviews.

Study design and setting

Commentary describing challenges with assessing harm.

Results

Investigators should be familiar with various terminologies used to describe, classify, and group harms. Published reports of clinical trials include limited information about harms, so systematic reviewers should not depend on these studies and journal articles to reach conclusions about harms. Visualizations might improve communication of multiple dimensions of harms such as severity, relatedness, and timing.

SUBMITTER: Qureshi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9126149 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature