TY - JOUR

T1 - Potential value of systematic reviews of qualitative evidence in informing user-centered health and social care

T2 - findings from a descriptive overview

AU - Dalton, Jane

AU - Booth, Andrew

AU - Noyes, Jane

AU - Sowden, Amanda J

N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/8

Y1 - 2017/8

N2 - OBJECTIVES: Systematic reviews of quantitative evidence are well established in health and social care. Systematic reviews of qualitative evidence are increasingly available, but volume, topics covered, methods used, and reporting quality are largely unknown. We provide a descriptive overview of systematic reviews of qualitative evidence assessing health and social care interventions included on the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE).STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We searched DARE for reviews published between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2014. We extracted data on review content and methods, summarized narratively, and explored patterns over time.RESULTS: We identified 145 systematic reviews conducted worldwide (64 in the UK). Interventions varied but largely covered treatment or service delivery in community and hospital settings. There were no discernible patterns over time. Critical appraisal of primary studies was conducted routinely. Most reviews were poorly reported.CONCLUSION: Potential exists to use systematic reviews of qualitative evidence when driving forward user-centered health and social care. We identify where more research is needed and propose ways to improve review methodology and reporting.

AB - OBJECTIVES: Systematic reviews of quantitative evidence are well established in health and social care. Systematic reviews of qualitative evidence are increasingly available, but volume, topics covered, methods used, and reporting quality are largely unknown. We provide a descriptive overview of systematic reviews of qualitative evidence assessing health and social care interventions included on the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE).STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We searched DARE for reviews published between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2014. We extracted data on review content and methods, summarized narratively, and explored patterns over time.RESULTS: We identified 145 systematic reviews conducted worldwide (64 in the UK). Interventions varied but largely covered treatment or service delivery in community and hospital settings. There were no discernible patterns over time. Critical appraisal of primary studies was conducted routinely. Most reviews were poorly reported.CONCLUSION: Potential exists to use systematic reviews of qualitative evidence when driving forward user-centered health and social care. We identify where more research is needed and propose ways to improve review methodology and reporting.

KW - Evidence synthesis

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Systematic review

KW - Overview

KW - DARE

KW - Database

U2 - 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.04.020

DO - 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.04.020

M3 - Article

C2 - 28450254

VL - 88

SP - 37

EP - 46

JO - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

JF - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

SN - 0895-4356

IS - August

ER -