Article type
Abstract
Background
Equity considerations are becoming an increasingly important part of all evidence syntheses. Cochrane is committed to encouraging review authors to consider health equity issues. The current version of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions now includes a chapter about equity and the Health Equity Thematic Group has been created. Additionally, Cochrane’s new focused review format has been launched, which now includes specific sections on equity. The focused review format will be mandatory for all new review protocols from April 2024.
Objective
The objective of this project is to explore the equity related content of protocols submitted to Cochrane during the first four months of the focused review format. We aim to assess the extent to which the introduction of the equity section has increased awareness and consideration of equity issues amongst protocol authors.
Methods/Results
Cochrane’s Quality Assurance team will collate the information provided in the equity section of protocols during the first four months of the introduction of the focused review format (from 1 April to 31 July 2024). This presentation will focus on equity considerations that authors have made during protocol development and highlight some examples of best practice. For example, whether review authors explicitly consider the relevance of health equity to their review and the prevalence of the use of guidance such as the Chapter on Equity and Specific Populations in the Cochrane Handbook (Welch et al 2023). We will also reflect on the extent to which authors design their methods to assess effects on health equity.
Conclusion
The findings will inform our understanding of the consideration of equity issues during protocol development and inform future projects on equity. We will reflect on the potential need for further guidance for authors. We will discuss how we can best encourage review authors to include explicit descriptions of the effect of interventions upon the disadvantaged and/or their ability to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in health. This presentation will be of importance to patients because promoting equity in systematic reviews will improve their usefulness in decision-making and help to reduce avoidable and unfair differences in health.
Equity considerations are becoming an increasingly important part of all evidence syntheses. Cochrane is committed to encouraging review authors to consider health equity issues. The current version of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions now includes a chapter about equity and the Health Equity Thematic Group has been created. Additionally, Cochrane’s new focused review format has been launched, which now includes specific sections on equity. The focused review format will be mandatory for all new review protocols from April 2024.
Objective
The objective of this project is to explore the equity related content of protocols submitted to Cochrane during the first four months of the focused review format. We aim to assess the extent to which the introduction of the equity section has increased awareness and consideration of equity issues amongst protocol authors.
Methods/Results
Cochrane’s Quality Assurance team will collate the information provided in the equity section of protocols during the first four months of the introduction of the focused review format (from 1 April to 31 July 2024). This presentation will focus on equity considerations that authors have made during protocol development and highlight some examples of best practice. For example, whether review authors explicitly consider the relevance of health equity to their review and the prevalence of the use of guidance such as the Chapter on Equity and Specific Populations in the Cochrane Handbook (Welch et al 2023). We will also reflect on the extent to which authors design their methods to assess effects on health equity.
Conclusion
The findings will inform our understanding of the consideration of equity issues during protocol development and inform future projects on equity. We will reflect on the potential need for further guidance for authors. We will discuss how we can best encourage review authors to include explicit descriptions of the effect of interventions upon the disadvantaged and/or their ability to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in health. This presentation will be of importance to patients because promoting equity in systematic reviews will improve their usefulness in decision-making and help to reduce avoidable and unfair differences in health.