Complex reviews 2: Unpacking implementation factors and practical approaches to data extraction, analysis and synthesis

Article type
Authors
Armstrong R1, Doyle J1, Waters E1, Tavender E1
1Cochrane EPOC Group, Australia
Abstract
Objectives:

This workshop will present a range of strategies for understanding and presenting information about what works, for whom, why and at what cost in systematic reviews.

Description:

Complexity is an issue that is of increasing interest to the Cochrane Collaboration and methods are being considered and developed to help authors produce reviews of relevance to a broader audience. There are a number of challenges associated with conducting reviews of complex interventions. Understanding how interventions are implemented becomes crucial in illuminating links between implementation (to whom, why, in what circumstances and at what cost) and an intervention’s effectiveness. End-users are also interested in implementation factors when assessing their applicability and transferability in a particular context. In this workshop we present case studies that demonstrate approaches and tools used for data extraction in existing reviews. We then identify how this data can be used in systematic reviews to present useful information about the interventions to guide analysis and support decision-making. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of data extraction tools and to share their experiences in using implementation data to guide analysis and synthesis.