Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group guidance series—paper 3: methods for assessing methodological limitations, data extraction and synthesis, and confidence in synthesized qualitative findings

The Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group develops and publishes guidance on the synthesis of qualitative and mixed-method implementation evidence. Choice of appropriate methodologies, methods, and tools is essential when developing a rigorous protocol and conducting the synthesis. C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical epidemiology 2018-05, Vol.97, p.49-58
Main Authors: Noyes, Jane, Booth, Andrew, Flemming, Kate, Garside, Ruth, Harden, Angela, Lewin, Simon, Pantoja, Tomas, Hannes, Karin, Cargo, Margaret, Thomas, James
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical Research - standards
Cochrane
Data Accuracy
Data Analysis
Data processing
Decision Making
Epidemiology
Evidence-Based Medicine - standards
GRADE CERQual
Humans
Hypotheses
Intervention
Methodological limitations
Methods
Qualitative analysis
Qualitative evidence synthesis
Qualitative Research
Quality
Reflexivity
Researchers
Reviews
Studies
Synthesis
Systematic review
Systematic Reviews as Topic
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Summary:The Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group develops and publishes guidance on the synthesis of qualitative and mixed-method implementation evidence. Choice of appropriate methodologies, methods, and tools is essential when developing a rigorous protocol and conducting the synthesis. Cochrane authors who conduct qualitative evidence syntheses have thus far used a small number of relatively simple methods to address similarly written questions. Cochrane has invested in methodological work to develop new tools and to encourage the production of exemplar reviews to show the value of more innovative methods that address a wider range of questions. In this paper, in the series, we report updated guidance on the selection of tools to assess methodological limitations in qualitative studies and methods to extract and synthesize qualitative evidence. We recommend application of Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation–Confidence in the Evidence from Qualitative Reviews to assess confidence in qualitative synthesized findings. This guidance aims to support review authors to undertake a qualitative evidence synthesis that is intended to be integrated subsequently with the findings of one or more Cochrane reviews of the effects of similar interventions. The review of intervention effects may be undertaken concurrently with or separate to the qualitative evidence synthesis. We encourage further development through reflection and formal testing.
ISSN:0895-4356
1878-5921
DOI:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.06.020