Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Systematic Reviews (SRs) identify, appraise and synthesize research-based evidence and present it in an accessible format for clinicians and healthcare practitioners. The knowledge emerging from SRs may be of help to health planners when setting priorities for health research, implementing proven interventions, and using limited resources judiciously.
Objectives: To identify interventions with high-level evidence and research leads/primary research questions in child health emanating from Cochrane SRs relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Methods: We searched six Cochrane Review Groups (Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI); Infectious Diseases; Neonatal; Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders; Airways; Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems (DPLP)) that produce reviews relevant to child health in LMICs for published and updated Cochrane SRs from 1 March 2009 to 18 March 2015 in the Cochrane Library. We extracted data from the objectives, main results and authors’ conclusions sections of the Cochrane SRs to identify primary research questions.
Results: We found a total of 679 Cochrane SRs (105 from ARI, 178 from Airways, 100 from Cystic Fibrosis, 78 from DPLP, 63 from Infectious Diseases, and 155 from Neonatal) addressing research questions of importance to LMICs. About 50% of these Cochrane SRs concluded that there was insufficient evidence for making valid conclusions (not enough RCTs, small sample sizes in included studies). Data on interventions with high-level evidence applicable to public health system in LMIC, and also data on lead research questions (from reviews with insufficient evidence) will be presented in the paper.
Conclusions: Cochrane Reviews with children as subjects may be used to implement proven interventions, identify knowledge gaps to guide future research as per national child health priorities in LMICs facing resource constraints.
Objectives: To identify interventions with high-level evidence and research leads/primary research questions in child health emanating from Cochrane SRs relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Methods: We searched six Cochrane Review Groups (Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI); Infectious Diseases; Neonatal; Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders; Airways; Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems (DPLP)) that produce reviews relevant to child health in LMICs for published and updated Cochrane SRs from 1 March 2009 to 18 March 2015 in the Cochrane Library. We extracted data from the objectives, main results and authors’ conclusions sections of the Cochrane SRs to identify primary research questions.
Results: We found a total of 679 Cochrane SRs (105 from ARI, 178 from Airways, 100 from Cystic Fibrosis, 78 from DPLP, 63 from Infectious Diseases, and 155 from Neonatal) addressing research questions of importance to LMICs. About 50% of these Cochrane SRs concluded that there was insufficient evidence for making valid conclusions (not enough RCTs, small sample sizes in included studies). Data on interventions with high-level evidence applicable to public health system in LMIC, and also data on lead research questions (from reviews with insufficient evidence) will be presented in the paper.
Conclusions: Cochrane Reviews with children as subjects may be used to implement proven interventions, identify knowledge gaps to guide future research as per national child health priorities in LMICs facing resource constraints.