Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and its development into a pandemic, Cochrane identified a need to disseminate evidence on focused topics of relevance to COVID-19. Special Collections, published on the Cochrane Library since 2011, serve this purpose well, curating content on a specific healthcare topic. From February 2020, a series of COVID-19 Special Collections was initiated and published on the Cochrane Library.
Objectives: To describe and evaluate the use of Cochrane Library Special Collections as a mechanism for presenting evidence around specific themes of relevance to key user groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Members of Cochrane's Editorial and Methods, and Knowledge Translation departments identified thematic collections that could present the most relevant evidence from Cochrane Reviews. The Collections were developed by engaging with the Cochrane community and through responding to enquiries from the community. From the start, the collections were updated on a regular basis in response to changes within WHO recommendations and changes in the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Special Collections included links to Cochrane Clinical Answers, where available. Additionally, these Collections were rapidly translated for Biblioteca Cochrane (the Spanish Language version of the Cochrane Library) and also into multiple other languages. The Knowledge Translation team undertook the Collections’ dissemination after publication.
Results: The first of the Cochrane Library Special Collections (on evidence relevance to critical care for COVID-19 patients) was published on 11 February 2020. As of 4 April 2020, three Special Collections have been published and updated, with at least three more in development. The current list is available at https://www.cochranelibrary.com/covid-19.
In the period up to 4 April 2020, the COVID-19 Special Collections saw unprecedented levels of usage, with more than 194,00 views in total (data from Adobe analytics). The Special Collections are being updated and new Collections are being developed in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, so this work is ongoing, and the latest data will be presented.
Conclusions: The production and dissemination of COVID-19 Special Collections highlights that thematic collections of Cochrane Reviews can form a useful and highly accessed part of a response to an urgent need for evidence-based knowledge.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Some degree of involvement in upcoming Special Collection on Remote healthcare in the situation of 'social distancing'.
Objectives: To describe and evaluate the use of Cochrane Library Special Collections as a mechanism for presenting evidence around specific themes of relevance to key user groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Members of Cochrane's Editorial and Methods, and Knowledge Translation departments identified thematic collections that could present the most relevant evidence from Cochrane Reviews. The Collections were developed by engaging with the Cochrane community and through responding to enquiries from the community. From the start, the collections were updated on a regular basis in response to changes within WHO recommendations and changes in the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Special Collections included links to Cochrane Clinical Answers, where available. Additionally, these Collections were rapidly translated for Biblioteca Cochrane (the Spanish Language version of the Cochrane Library) and also into multiple other languages. The Knowledge Translation team undertook the Collections’ dissemination after publication.
Results: The first of the Cochrane Library Special Collections (on evidence relevance to critical care for COVID-19 patients) was published on 11 February 2020. As of 4 April 2020, three Special Collections have been published and updated, with at least three more in development. The current list is available at https://www.cochranelibrary.com/covid-19.
In the period up to 4 April 2020, the COVID-19 Special Collections saw unprecedented levels of usage, with more than 194,00 views in total (data from Adobe analytics). The Special Collections are being updated and new Collections are being developed in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, so this work is ongoing, and the latest data will be presented.
Conclusions: The production and dissemination of COVID-19 Special Collections highlights that thematic collections of Cochrane Reviews can form a useful and highly accessed part of a response to an urgent need for evidence-based knowledge.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Some degree of involvement in upcoming Special Collection on Remote healthcare in the situation of 'social distancing'.