Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
Cochrane Reviews, other systematic reviews, randomized trials, and other prospective studies of health and social care seek to resolve uncertainties about the effects of different interventions, actions, and strategies. However, despite hundreds of thousands of reviews and trials, there are probably only a few hundred studies assessing the effects of different methods for doing this research. This is well illustrated by the findings of Cochrane Methodology Reviews. Many uncertainties remain about the most appropriate methods for ensuring that estimates of the effects of health and social care interventions are reliable and robust.
The SWAR (studies within a review) and SWAT (studies within a trial) programme is seeking to help fill this evidence gap. It was established by the All-Ireland Hub for Trials Methodology Research in collaboration with the Medical Research Council’s Network of Hubs in the UK and the Global Health Network, to facilitate this research into research. Simple, one and two page protocols are being prepared and made available to support the embedding of these studies in trials and reviews, encourage modifications to them and stimulate interest and additional ideas.
Objectives of this presentation:
(1) To describe how the SWAR and SWAT programme will help resolve uncertainties about the effects of different methods for all aspects of reviews and trials. (2) To enthuse reviewers, researchers and others about their ability to conduct research within their own research.
Content of this presentation:
The concept of SWAR and SWAT will be presented. This includes the core outline: background, intervention, comparator, allocation, primary outcomes, secondary outcomes, analysis, possible problems, likely costs, publications, and version information. The SWAR and SWAT website will be available to view, and examples of completed SWAR and SWAT will be shown. The presentation should stimulate ideas for future SWAR and SWAT, and encourage researchers to see how they might maximize the impact of embedding research into research, leading to improvements in the design of future trials and reviews.
Cochrane Reviews, other systematic reviews, randomized trials, and other prospective studies of health and social care seek to resolve uncertainties about the effects of different interventions, actions, and strategies. However, despite hundreds of thousands of reviews and trials, there are probably only a few hundred studies assessing the effects of different methods for doing this research. This is well illustrated by the findings of Cochrane Methodology Reviews. Many uncertainties remain about the most appropriate methods for ensuring that estimates of the effects of health and social care interventions are reliable and robust.
The SWAR (studies within a review) and SWAT (studies within a trial) programme is seeking to help fill this evidence gap. It was established by the All-Ireland Hub for Trials Methodology Research in collaboration with the Medical Research Council’s Network of Hubs in the UK and the Global Health Network, to facilitate this research into research. Simple, one and two page protocols are being prepared and made available to support the embedding of these studies in trials and reviews, encourage modifications to them and stimulate interest and additional ideas.
Objectives of this presentation:
(1) To describe how the SWAR and SWAT programme will help resolve uncertainties about the effects of different methods for all aspects of reviews and trials. (2) To enthuse reviewers, researchers and others about their ability to conduct research within their own research.
Content of this presentation:
The concept of SWAR and SWAT will be presented. This includes the core outline: background, intervention, comparator, allocation, primary outcomes, secondary outcomes, analysis, possible problems, likely costs, publications, and version information. The SWAR and SWAT website will be available to view, and examples of completed SWAR and SWAT will be shown. The presentation should stimulate ideas for future SWAR and SWAT, and encourage researchers to see how they might maximize the impact of embedding research into research, leading to improvements in the design of future trials and reviews.