A new resource in the enhanced Cochrane Library: Cochrane Clinical Answers

Article type
Authors
Tort S1, Burch J1, Pettersen K2
1Cochrane Editorial & Methods Department
2Wiley
Abstract
Background:
Cochrane Clinical Answers (CCAs) are an important tool for making the results from Cochrane Reviews accessible and usable at the point of care. They are evidence-based answers to the clinical questions addressed by Cochrane Reviews, covering a wide range of topics, and aimed primarily at clinicians and other healthcare professionals. Their numbers are progressively increasing, with 1550 published at the start of 2018 (i.e. around 20% of the Cochrane Reviews on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews). The Cochrane Library has recently been enhanced to improve the user experience. CCAs are now one of the databases available with the Cochrane Library, which links all Cochrane content and provides better access and visibility of the extensive knowledge contained within this resource.

Objectives:
To describe how CCAs are integrated into the Cochrane Library: how they are displayed, their search functionality, links with related content and additional features. The session will also cover how the content across CCAs and Cochrane Reviews is linked.

Conclusions:
CCAs are a valuable knowledge translation tool, offering short summaries of the evidence presented in Cochrane Reviews using non-statistical, but technical language. They target the healthcare professional audience and aim to facilitate decision making at the point of care. Being integrated into the enhanced Cochrane Library is a further step towards making Cochrane the ‘home of evidence’, one of the Cochrane’s Strategy to 2020 goals.

Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
No patient or healthcare consumer has been involved with CCAs so far. However, we welcome them to the session to have their feedback about this knowledge translation tool and discuss their possible involvement in the production of CCAs.