Making more of
Evidence Syntheses

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This webinar will present findings from a Study Within A Review (SWAR) evaluating the use of PubReMiner, a text-mining word frequency tool, for developing systematic search strategies used in various evidence syntheses. Conducted within the Health Information and Quality Authority’s (HIQA’s) Health Technology Assessment Directorate, the study compares the sensitivity and precision of PubReMiner-generated strategies to conventional methods used at HIQA. The session will outline the methodology, key outcomes, and considerations for incorporating such tools into systematic and rapid review processes. The SWAR was embedded across multiple reviews, offering insights into the advantages and disadvantages of this approach to answering methodological research questions compared to SWARs embedded within a single review. The webinar is particularly relevant for researchers, information specialists, librarians and others involved in evidence-based practice or policy who are interested in the evaluation of emerging approaches to literature searching.

Speaker:

Andrew Dullea is a Health Services Researcher within the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Directorate in HIQA. Andrew previously qualified as a radiation therapist and worked for several years at St. Vincent’s Private Hospital where he led on the clinical implementation of surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) and ‘tattoo-less’ radiotherapy. He later graduated from the University of Cambridge with a master’s degree in Public Health, and subsequently worked for the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) where he focused on the development and implementation of medical device and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) health policy. Currently, Andrew works in the HTA Directorate’s ionising radiation evidence review team which deals with generic justification and the development of guidelines for exposures in asymptomatic individuals. He is also undertaking a PhD through the SPHeRE programme at the School of Medicine in Trinity College Dublin.

Methods for qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) are now well established and decision makers are able to access rigorous QES on issues such as patient experiences of health conditions and interventions, and contextual factors influencing intervention implementation. QES often generate theories and explanations about why and how interventions work or do not work as anticipated. By integrating these theories with evidence on intervention effects in a mixed methods synthesis, review teams can offer vital information to support implementation of review findings in practice. However, the diversity of approaches for integrating QES and effectiveness syntheses can make it challenging for reviewers to understand how best to integrate.

This two day interactive workshop delivered by co-convenors of the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group will introduce theory and practical examples of mixed methods synthesis. During group work participants will be encouraged to think reflectively on the strengths and limitations of diverse approaches. Each day will conclude with an open forum to reflect on the day’s activities and discuss issues relating to participants’ own review activity.

By the end of this workshop participants will:

• understand why and when it is useful to do a mixed methods synthesis
• be able to recognise and appraise diverse approaches and tools for mixed methods synthesis
• describe challenges, and potential opportunities, for mixed methods synthesis
• have gained hands on experience of integrating different types of evidence
• apply lessons learnt to their own review activity

Dates: 14th & 15th October

Time: 09:30 – 17:00

Places: 15 available for individuals who are resident in Ireland & Northern Ireland

Pre-requisites: Prior experience of systematic reviews but not necessarily specific experience of qualitative evidence synthesis or mixed methods synthesis

Location: Ashling Hotel, 10 – 13 Parkgate Street, Dublin 8

Prices: General €250; Student €140

Target Audience: Systematic review authors, guideline developers, health and social care professionals, academics, researchers, postgraduate students, decision makers, Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellows and other professionals

Facilitators:

Prof. Angela Harden, Professor of Health Sciences, School of Health and Psychological Sciences, Department of Health Services Research and Management, City University of London

Dr. Katy Sutcliffe, Associate Professor, Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordination Centre (EPPI Centre), University College London

Prof. James Thomas, Professor of Social Research & Policy, Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordination Centre (EPPI Centre), UCL Social Research Unit, University College London

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In this webinar Alison would like to share experiences of completing search summary tables and search evaluations within evidence syntheses projects. Search summary tables can help make our search methods and decisions more evidence informed. Once completed, you can discover, for example:

-which searches in which databases retrieved the included articles for your specific project

-which searches in which databases retrieved unique articles

-whether specific types of study were retrieved by searching specific databases

-which supplementary search methods retrieved additional relevant studies/articles

-were there included articles in the databases which our search did not retrieve

Reflecting on search methods at the end of, or even during, an evidence synthesis project is a good idea because it allows us to feed into update searches and future reviews. It can help make our search methods and decisions more evidence based

Speaker:

Alison Bethel is a Senior Research Fellow, Information Science, and currently works across three NIHR funded evidence synthesis groups at the University of Exeter Medical School: PenARC’s Evidence Synthesis Team, the HSDR Evidence Synthesis Centre and ISCA Evidence where she designs and runs systematic literature searches for all types of evidence synthesis projects. Alison is a co-convener for the Campbell Collaboration and is one of the UK’s Council Representatives for EAHIL. Alison also teaches within the UEMS and undertakes information retrieval research projects with her colleagues.