Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: We have published a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) on adherence to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in people living with HIV in Africa with a search date of 2016. Just prior to its publication, we carried out an additional search and conducted a rapid appraisal of the new qualitative literature, and decided no new themes had emerged. This made us wonder whether there were circumstances in qualitative research synthesis where there is sufficient knowledge to render additional research on the question redundant.
Objectives: To explore the influence of new research on the findings of an existing systematic review. To do this we evaluate data saturation by means of assessing whether the literature identifies new themes, enriches existing themes, or leads to their modification in the published review.
Methods: We used the same search strategy and eligibility criteria as for the existing review. Two authors independently selected studies for inclusion; assessed quality and coded included studies. We coded studies deductively, using the list of codes generated in the existing review and adding to this list in case new codes emerged. New codes were flagged. We had regular meetings to discuss emerging codes and themes. During this iterative process, we considered whether new codes 1) fit into the existing themes and subthemes of the framework; 2) enriched the current themes with new subthemes; or 3) added new themes to the existing framework.
Results: Our search identified 3947 new citations between December 2016 and November 2019. After removal of duplicates, we screened 3830 titles and abstracts, and 307 full texts. We piloted our approach to extract and analyse data on 8 included studies. We are at an early stage of the analysis, but in the few studies examined, we have identified some codes that added to our existing themes, but did not identify any new themes. Comprehensive results will be presented at the Colloquium.
Conclusions: In our case study, we examine more closely whether, in the rapidly moving policy area of HIV treatment and adherence in Africa, additional qualitative primary research on barriers and facilitators of adherence to ART is justified. This study will help reveal whether data saturation in QES is a true phenomenon and thus further primary studies not justified, or whether we can recognise attributes of a study that could justify updating a QES.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Patients and health care consumers were not involved in the conduct of this methodological work. However, we have a multi-disciplinary team with backgrounds in epidemiology, infectious disease, nursing, and social science that have provided insights and expertise into this process.
Objectives: To explore the influence of new research on the findings of an existing systematic review. To do this we evaluate data saturation by means of assessing whether the literature identifies new themes, enriches existing themes, or leads to their modification in the published review.
Methods: We used the same search strategy and eligibility criteria as for the existing review. Two authors independently selected studies for inclusion; assessed quality and coded included studies. We coded studies deductively, using the list of codes generated in the existing review and adding to this list in case new codes emerged. New codes were flagged. We had regular meetings to discuss emerging codes and themes. During this iterative process, we considered whether new codes 1) fit into the existing themes and subthemes of the framework; 2) enriched the current themes with new subthemes; or 3) added new themes to the existing framework.
Results: Our search identified 3947 new citations between December 2016 and November 2019. After removal of duplicates, we screened 3830 titles and abstracts, and 307 full texts. We piloted our approach to extract and analyse data on 8 included studies. We are at an early stage of the analysis, but in the few studies examined, we have identified some codes that added to our existing themes, but did not identify any new themes. Comprehensive results will be presented at the Colloquium.
Conclusions: In our case study, we examine more closely whether, in the rapidly moving policy area of HIV treatment and adherence in Africa, additional qualitative primary research on barriers and facilitators of adherence to ART is justified. This study will help reveal whether data saturation in QES is a true phenomenon and thus further primary studies not justified, or whether we can recognise attributes of a study that could justify updating a QES.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Patients and health care consumers were not involved in the conduct of this methodological work. However, we have a multi-disciplinary team with backgrounds in epidemiology, infectious disease, nursing, and social science that have provided insights and expertise into this process.