Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: With the propagation of the evidence-based health policy-making, the systematic reviews of health policy research have become increasingly popular. However, due to the complexity of the Health Policy Research, they are facing challenges.
Objectives: To describe the publishing characteristics of the Cochrane Reviews of Health Policy Research.
Methods: We searched the Cochrane library by the topic on ‘Effective practice/health systems’, and retrieved the Advanced Search as a supplement in March 2013. The search terms were health, policy and strategy. The EndNote X4 and Excel were used for data description and analysis.
Results: 112 Cochrane Reviews of health policy research were included out of the 927 identified, accounting for 1.23% of the total Cochrane Reviews, of which there were 13 (11.61%) Protocols, 12 (10.71%) New Searches, 5 (4.46%) Conclusions Changed, 2 (1.79%) Withdrawn, 2 (1.79%) Overview, and 1 (0.89%) Methodology, Comment and Major Change; there were 7 Reviews included 0 studies, 45 included 1∼10, others included more than 10. They were published online in 2005 (1, 0.89%), 2006 (1, 0.89%), 2008 (5, 4.46%), 2009 (41, 36.61%), 2010 (17, 15.18%), 2011 (17, 15.18%), 2012 (24, 21.43%) and 2013 (6, 5.36%). They focused on the Implementation Strategies (84, 75.00%), Financial Arrangements (17, 15.18%) and Governance Arrangements (11, 9.82%); involved Public Health (41, 36.61%), Theoretical Exploration (21, 18.75%), Hospital Management (16, 14.29%), Medical Insurance (14, 12.50%), Pharmaceutical Policy (9, 8.04%), Community Health (9, 8.04%) and Rural Health (2, 1.79%).
Conclusions: Although many Cochrane Reviews of Health Policy Research have been published, the quantity and quality of the evidence should be improved, we should pay more attention to the Financial Arrangements and the Governance Arrangements involved Rural Health, Community Health and Pharmaceutical Policy and so on.
Objectives: To describe the publishing characteristics of the Cochrane Reviews of Health Policy Research.
Methods: We searched the Cochrane library by the topic on ‘Effective practice/health systems’, and retrieved the Advanced Search as a supplement in March 2013. The search terms were health, policy and strategy. The EndNote X4 and Excel were used for data description and analysis.
Results: 112 Cochrane Reviews of health policy research were included out of the 927 identified, accounting for 1.23% of the total Cochrane Reviews, of which there were 13 (11.61%) Protocols, 12 (10.71%) New Searches, 5 (4.46%) Conclusions Changed, 2 (1.79%) Withdrawn, 2 (1.79%) Overview, and 1 (0.89%) Methodology, Comment and Major Change; there were 7 Reviews included 0 studies, 45 included 1∼10, others included more than 10. They were published online in 2005 (1, 0.89%), 2006 (1, 0.89%), 2008 (5, 4.46%), 2009 (41, 36.61%), 2010 (17, 15.18%), 2011 (17, 15.18%), 2012 (24, 21.43%) and 2013 (6, 5.36%). They focused on the Implementation Strategies (84, 75.00%), Financial Arrangements (17, 15.18%) and Governance Arrangements (11, 9.82%); involved Public Health (41, 36.61%), Theoretical Exploration (21, 18.75%), Hospital Management (16, 14.29%), Medical Insurance (14, 12.50%), Pharmaceutical Policy (9, 8.04%), Community Health (9, 8.04%) and Rural Health (2, 1.79%).
Conclusions: Although many Cochrane Reviews of Health Policy Research have been published, the quantity and quality of the evidence should be improved, we should pay more attention to the Financial Arrangements and the Governance Arrangements involved Rural Health, Community Health and Pharmaceutical Policy and so on.