Systematic reviews for informing policy decisions

"This guide is a short introduction for decision-makers and researchers or anyone else considering whether a systematic review may be appropriate to fill a gap in knowledge or to use as a resource. It will help anybody planning on commissioning a review of what research is already out there. You may be an analyst, evaluator, policymaker or commissioner."

Learning from research: systematic reviews for informing policy decisions
D Gough, S Oliver, J Thomas
Alliance for Useful Evidence
EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London
December 2013

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Patient-reported outcomes in meta-analyses

"Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized trials that include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) often provide crucial information for patients and clinicians facing challenging health care decisions. "

Patient-reported outcomes in meta-analyses - Part 1: assessing risk of bias and combining outcomes
BC Johnston, DL Patrick, JW Busse, HJ Schunemann, A Agarwal, GH Guyatt
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2013, 11:109

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Reporting guidelines for systematic reviews with a focus on health equity

"Increased use of these reporting guidelines will help improve the reporting of effects on both inequities in health outcomes and health care use across gender, socioeconomic position, and other characteristics, both in systematic reviews and eventually primary research, thus contributing to the global agenda to improve health equity."

PRISMA-Equity 2012 Extension: reporting guidelines for systematic reviews with a focus on health equity
V Welch, M Petticrew, P Tugwell, D Moher, J O'Neill, E Waters, H White,
PLOS Med, 2012, 9(10): e1001333

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Interventions to improve the use of systematic reviews in decision-making by health system managers

"Systematic review evidence may be used in priority setting, policy, planning and purchasing health-care interventions, and clinical decision-making."

Interventions to improve the use of systematic reviews in decision-making by health system managers, policy makers and clinicians
Murthy L, Shepperd S, Clarke MJ, Garner SE, Lavis JN, Perrier L, Roberts NW, Straus SE
Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group
The Cochrane Library
September 2012

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Barriers to the uptake of evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses

"This study can inform future approaches to enhancing systematic review uptake and also suggests potential avenues for future investigation."

Barriers to the uptake of evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses: a systematic review of decision makers' perceptions
J Wallace, B Nwosu, M Clarke
BMJ Open 2012, 2:e001220

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