A QuESt for speed: rapid qualitative evidence syntheses as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19
Qualitative evidence synthesis
Rapid reviews
Review methods
Systematic review
Journal
Systematic reviews
ISSN: 2046-4053
Titre abrégé: Syst Rev
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101580575
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
04 11 2020
04 11 2020
Historique:
received:
26
06
2020
accepted:
26
10
2020
entrez:
5
11
2020
pubmed:
6
11
2020
medline:
20
11
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sense of urgency in the research community in their bid to contribute to the evidence required for healthcare policy decisions. With such urgency, researchers experience methodological challenges to maintain the rigour and transparency of their work. With this in mind, we offer reflections on our recent experience of undertaking a rapid Cochrane qualitative evidence synthesis (QES). This process paper, using a reflexive approach, describes a rapid QES prepared during, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reports the methodological decisions we made and the process we undertook. We place our decisions in the context of guidance offered in relation to rapid reviews and previously conducted QESs. We highlight some of the challenges we encountered in finding the balance between the time needed for thoughtfulness and comprehensiveness whilst providing a rapid response to an urgent request for evidence. The need for more guidance on rapid QES remains, but such guidance needs to be based on actual worked examples and case studies. This paper and the reflections offered may provide a useful framework for others to use and further develop.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sense of urgency in the research community in their bid to contribute to the evidence required for healthcare policy decisions. With such urgency, researchers experience methodological challenges to maintain the rigour and transparency of their work. With this in mind, we offer reflections on our recent experience of undertaking a rapid Cochrane qualitative evidence synthesis (QES).
METHODS
This process paper, using a reflexive approach, describes a rapid QES prepared during, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic.
FINDINGS
This paper reports the methodological decisions we made and the process we undertook. We place our decisions in the context of guidance offered in relation to rapid reviews and previously conducted QESs. We highlight some of the challenges we encountered in finding the balance between the time needed for thoughtfulness and comprehensiveness whilst providing a rapid response to an urgent request for evidence.
CONCLUSION
The need for more guidance on rapid QES remains, but such guidance needs to be based on actual worked examples and case studies. This paper and the reflections offered may provide a useful framework for others to use and further develop.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33148320
doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01512-5
pii: 10.1186/s13643-020-01512-5
pmc: PMC7640992
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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