Article type
Year
Abstract
Objectives: To explore and discuss the value and methods of summarising and interpreting the reviews related to Public Health as to enhance evidence-based practice and decision making.
Description: The Cochrane Library contains a growing number of reviews that are relevant to Health Promotion and Public Health (HP & PH). Unfortunately many practitioners and policy makers seem unaware that the Library contains reviews of topics that are relevant to their work. Working within a deficit of knowledge means it is possible that ineffective interventions may be adopted whilst effective interventions may be overlooked. Interventions of indeterminate effectiveness may also be implemented with inadequate evaluation. The workshop facilitators propose that summary tables would be useful not only to identify what is already known, but also to highlight the areas where public health funders could potentially commission reviews. The tables could be used to promote the Cochrane HP & HP Field.
The purpose of the workshop is to consider and discuss the value, creation, and use of summary tables of reviews on key topic areas. The workshop will commence with a presentation that includes the background, a summary table containing the 36 Cochrane reviews on Tobacco Addiction for illustration, and our experiences with the table.
We will then look at issues of selecting topics, categories, headings, and consider the benefits and the risks of over-simplifying the findings. We will explore the use of simple symbols (e.g. happy faces) to summarise findings and consider the categorisation process. Participants will be invited to discuss where they think summary tables should be located, the frequency of preparation and what components should be included to make them useful. We will also explore the value of also including the protocols in the tables.
The workshop will provide networking opportunities for persons trying to increase the uptake of systematic reviews into HP&HP.
Target audience: Those interested in health promotion and public health: review authors, policy makers, practitioners and consumers.
Style: Presentation and discussion
Description: The Cochrane Library contains a growing number of reviews that are relevant to Health Promotion and Public Health (HP & PH). Unfortunately many practitioners and policy makers seem unaware that the Library contains reviews of topics that are relevant to their work. Working within a deficit of knowledge means it is possible that ineffective interventions may be adopted whilst effective interventions may be overlooked. Interventions of indeterminate effectiveness may also be implemented with inadequate evaluation. The workshop facilitators propose that summary tables would be useful not only to identify what is already known, but also to highlight the areas where public health funders could potentially commission reviews. The tables could be used to promote the Cochrane HP & HP Field.
The purpose of the workshop is to consider and discuss the value, creation, and use of summary tables of reviews on key topic areas. The workshop will commence with a presentation that includes the background, a summary table containing the 36 Cochrane reviews on Tobacco Addiction for illustration, and our experiences with the table.
We will then look at issues of selecting topics, categories, headings, and consider the benefits and the risks of over-simplifying the findings. We will explore the use of simple symbols (e.g. happy faces) to summarise findings and consider the categorisation process. Participants will be invited to discuss where they think summary tables should be located, the frequency of preparation and what components should be included to make them useful. We will also explore the value of also including the protocols in the tables.
The workshop will provide networking opportunities for persons trying to increase the uptake of systematic reviews into HP&HP.
Target audience: Those interested in health promotion and public health: review authors, policy makers, practitioners and consumers.
Style: Presentation and discussion