How to include economics in Cochrane Review Protocols. Part 1: background, objectives, outcome measures and types of studies

Article type
Authors
Vale L1
1University of Newcastle
Abstract
Objectives:
Incorporating health economic evidence into Cochrane Reviews can facilitate decision making. It takes into account the costs and provide the international context within which previously published evidence can be interpreted and assessed as a preliminary to economic evaluation.

This is the first of a pair of workshops aiming to provide an introduction to the techniques needed to develop a protocol for a Cochrane intervention review that will include health economic perspectives and evidence. Participants are strongly encouraged to also attend the second workshop of this pair.

Description:
Part 1 will enable participants to:
- incorporate economic perspectives into the background section;
- formulate an objective for the economic component;
- identify measures of resource use, costs and cost-effectiveness to be included as outcome measures;
- identify studies likely to contain evidence on resource use, costs and cost-effectiveness.

This workshop is consistent with guidance on the use of economic methods in the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane Reviews, published in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. It will comprise a didactic presentation, a practical small-group exercise and opportunities for questions and discussion.