December 2023 (Next February 2024)

In this issue

1) Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods introduce the virtual issue of Methods and Statistics Tutorials.

2) New Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis chapters are now available online.

3) Upcoming events and opportunities to get involved include online webinars and Methods Support web clinics.

4) Meet Joey Kwong of the Adverse Effects Methods Group.

5) New resources include papers from our Methods Groups and much more!

Your top three highlights

Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods introduce the virtual issue of Methods and Statistics tutorials

This series provides easily accessible advice to the evidence synthesis community on the common methodological and statistical issues that occur frequently within Cochrane. Linked to each tutorial is a micro-learning module including short videos and quick e-learning checks which complements the article. Editors will be adding articles frequently to build up a library of resources. Check out current articles here.

New chapters of the Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis now available

The Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis is the official guide that describes in detail the process of preparing and maintaining systematic reviews of qualitative evidence for Cochrane. It is a step-by-step guide for those conducting systematic reviews of qualitative evidence and a reference for more experienced authors. Please consult three new chapters of this Handbook online via the Cochrane Training website: Chapter 3 (Selecting and using theory), Chapter 12 (Using visual methods to support synthesis) and Chapter 21 (Peer reviewing a protocol or a review).

Adapting & Advancing: a lot has happened in 2023 as Cochrane prepares for the future

The last twelve months have been a busy time for Cochrane. We have started making some major changes to keep our place as a global leader in health evidence and to ensure we are able to meet the health evidence needs of a changing world. We have pulled together some of the key achievements in 2023 delivered through our Future of Evidence Synthesis programme.

Events and opportunities

Upcoming

● 11 January 2024: Methods Support Unit web clinics: Updated guidance on how to interpret and assess imprecision with GRADE methods. Open to Cochrane authors, editors and staff; registration required.

● 25 January 2024: Cochrane Rapid Reviews series: Evidence synthesis and certainty of evidence ratings in rapid reviews (with Rapid Reviews Methods Group). Open to all; registration required.

● 29 January 2024: Cochrane Learning Live webinar: Identifying who benefits most from treatments: estimating interactions and subgroup effects in aggregate data meta-analysis. Open to Cochrane authors, editors and staff; registration required.

● 6 February 2024: Cochrane Learning Live webinar: Moving data from Covidence to RevMan – the advantages of a standardised data package. Open to Cochrane authors, editors and staff; registration required.

● 28 February 2024: Cochrane Rapid Reviews series: How to do a rapid qualitative review (with Rapid Reviews Methods Group). Open to all; registration required.

Can you help with methods-related tasks? Browse Engage (formerly TaskExchange) for opportunities (tip! Filter by your specific skills). For more information on signing up and using the platform, see the instructions.

New resources

● Members of Qualitative and Implementation conducted a scoping review to understand how patient-reported outcome measures were implemented and used, and their impact in the context of Value-Based Healthcare in PLOS One.

● Members of Bias propose a new approach to evaluating loop inconsistency in network meta-analysis in Statistics in Medicine.

●Members of Comparing Multiple Interventions, Equity, Rapid Reviews and GRADEing compare understanding, accessibility, usability, satisfaction, intention to implement, and preference of adults provided with a digital Plain Language Recommendation format versus the original Standard Language Version in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

● Members of Bias discuss the differences and overlaps between explanatory and pragmatic controlled trials in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

● Members of Bias, Comparing Multiple Interventions, Statistics, and IPD Meta-analysis introduce the ROB-ME, a new tool for assessing the risk of bias due to missing evidence in systematic reviews with meta-analysis in the BMJ.

● Members of Bias discuss the origins of 'the intention-to-treat principle' to reduce allocation bias in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

● Members of Equity and GRADEing outline an operationalisation plan for the GRADE-Equity criterion to gather and assess evidence from primary studies within systematic reviews in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

● Members of Economics investigate the extent to which articles of economic evaluations of healthcare interventions indexed in MEDLINE incorporate research practices that promote transparency, openness and reproducibility in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

Meet Joey Kwong of the Adverse Effects Methods Group

1) What's the aim of the Methods Group, and who else is involved?

The Adverse Effects Methods Group aims to develop methods for producing high-quality and trustworthy systematic reviews and to advise Cochrane and the wider research community on how the validity and precision of systematic reviews can be improved by taking account of and evaluating adverse effects. The Group is led by convenors Su Golder (UK), Yoon Loke (UK), Sunita Vohra (Canada), and myself. We are also in the process of bringing on board two new Associate Convenors - watch this space!

2) What do you do outside of the Methods Group?

I am currently a senior managing editor of Cochrane Central Editorial Service, working with a great team to manage the centralized editorial process of Cochrane protocols and reviews.

3) What is your favourite thing about Cochrane?

Collaborating with friendly and collegial 'Cochranites' from around the world to develop/maintain rigorous methods for synthesizing evidence.

4) If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you take and why?

If no limit on the number of items, I'll haul everything from my house. If just one, Ed Sheeran, because his songs make life worth living.

Find out more about the Adverse Effects Methods Group:

● Visit the Methods Group's website.

● Join by selecting the Methods Group in the Methods Network web form.

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Online learning - resources relevant to systematic reviews and evidence-based medicine.

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Learning events - find information about upcoming training (in-person and online).

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