Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: The Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group (CEVG) US Project was funded by the Cochrane Collaboration Prioritization Fund from 2007 to 2009 to test a framework for prioritizing systematic reviews.
Objectives: To describe the impact, accountability, and sustainability of the project.
Methods: A summary of research activities, professional collaborations, funding, and research opportunities.
Results: We identified priority review topics related to open angle glaucoma using practice guidelines and a Delphi survey of clinicians. We searched for and appraised the methodological quality of existing systematic reviews for priority topics (Cochrane and non-Cochrane). For topics without any high quality review, we sought approval from the CEVG editor and posted the topics on the CEVG website. For priority topics with non-Cochrane reviews, we encouraged authors to convert them into Cochrane reviews as appropriate. We presented project findings at each stage, at the Cochrane Colloquia (2008 to 2010) and other international meetings. This project comprised one part of TL’s PhD thesis, and has resulted in two publications. An additional manuscript is under revision. We involved various stakeholders in the project, including CEVG and its Advisory Board, the US Cochrane Center, local biostatisticians and epidemiologists, guideline developers at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and clinicians and vision research scientists from the American Glaucoma Society and Asian-Pacific region. Findings from this project also provided the groundwork for an additional grant award to our team from the National Eye Institute, to develop research priorities related to diabetic retinopathy and primary angle-closure glaucoma. Two Master’s students are pursing the newly-funded projects as their thesis research. The American Optometric Association is considering collaboration with us to update their guidelines on diabetic eye disease.
Conclusions: The impact of the Collaboration’s Prioritization initiative has been profound for our group and our research area. We have demonstrated accountability to the Collaboration and sustainability of the framework.
Objectives: To describe the impact, accountability, and sustainability of the project.
Methods: A summary of research activities, professional collaborations, funding, and research opportunities.
Results: We identified priority review topics related to open angle glaucoma using practice guidelines and a Delphi survey of clinicians. We searched for and appraised the methodological quality of existing systematic reviews for priority topics (Cochrane and non-Cochrane). For topics without any high quality review, we sought approval from the CEVG editor and posted the topics on the CEVG website. For priority topics with non-Cochrane reviews, we encouraged authors to convert them into Cochrane reviews as appropriate. We presented project findings at each stage, at the Cochrane Colloquia (2008 to 2010) and other international meetings. This project comprised one part of TL’s PhD thesis, and has resulted in two publications. An additional manuscript is under revision. We involved various stakeholders in the project, including CEVG and its Advisory Board, the US Cochrane Center, local biostatisticians and epidemiologists, guideline developers at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and clinicians and vision research scientists from the American Glaucoma Society and Asian-Pacific region. Findings from this project also provided the groundwork for an additional grant award to our team from the National Eye Institute, to develop research priorities related to diabetic retinopathy and primary angle-closure glaucoma. Two Master’s students are pursing the newly-funded projects as their thesis research. The American Optometric Association is considering collaboration with us to update their guidelines on diabetic eye disease.
Conclusions: The impact of the Collaboration’s Prioritization initiative has been profound for our group and our research area. We have demonstrated accountability to the Collaboration and sustainability of the framework.