Objectives: To provide a brief overview of how to perform meta-analysis using Stata. The facilitators will demonstrate the key Stata commands for meta-analysis and briefly discuss options for data management, analysis and documentation.
Description: Several software packages can perform meta-analysis. Stata (StataCorp, TX, USA) is a powerful, versatile, user-friendly general statistical package. With the addition of free, user-written, add-on programs, Stata can easily perform a variety of meta-analysis routines. More than 14 meta-analysis commands are now available in Stata and these can perform a range of analyses: meta-analysis of dichotomous and continuous effect measures, tests for bias, cumulative meta-analysis, meta-regression, sensitivity and subgroup analysis, and a wide range of plots and graphs (e.g. forest plots, funnel plots, Galbraith and L'Abbe plots).
Participants should bring a laptop with a recent version of Stata (Stata 8 or Stata 9) pre-installed.

Target audience: Anyone within the Collaboration who wishes to conduct a meta-analysis outside of RevMan. Some previous experience with Stata is highly desirable.

Style: Training workshop