Objectives:

The workshop aims to introduce systematic review authors and researchers interested equity to the draft guidance being prepared for the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

Description:

A future release of the Cochrane Handbook will include new guidance on additional methods for equity-focused systematic reviews. We have defined these reviews as those that meet one or more of the following criteria: (1) the intervention is targeted at a disadvantaged population; (2) the intervention is aimed at reducing the social gradient in health across populations; or (3) the intervention is not aimed at reducing inequity but important equity effects are likely. Participants will be introduced to the draft guidance. We will present the proposed methods and participants will work in small groups to discuss the new guidance on equity as applied to Cochrane Review examples. Groups will discuss the methods available for considering equity as included in the example systematic reviews. This workshop will allow participants to develop their skills in equity methods so that they may consider adding equity into their next systematic review.