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  • Jane Noyes
  • Andrew Booth
    University of Sheffield
  • Kate Flemming
    University of York
  • Ruth Garside
    University of Exeter Medical School
  • Angela Harden
    University of East London
  • Simon Lewin
    Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
  • Tomas Pantoja
    Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Karin Hannes
    Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
  • Margaret Cargo
    University of South Australia
  • James Thomas
    University College London

The Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group develops and publishes guidance on the synthesis of qualitative and mixed-method implementation evidence. Choice of appropriate methodologies, methods, and tools is essential when developing a rigorous protocol and conducting the synthesis. Cochrane authors who conduct qualitative evidence syntheses have thus far used a small number of relatively simple methods to address similarly written questions. Cochrane has invested in methodological work to develop new tools and to encourage the production of exemplar reviews to show the value of more innovative methods that address a wider range of questions. In this paper, in the series, we report updated guidance on the selection of tools to assess methodological limitations in qualitative studies and methods to extract and synthesize qualitative evidence. We recommend application of Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation-Confidence in the Evidence from Qualitative Reviews to assess confidence in qualitative synthesized findings. This guidance aims to support review authors to undertake a qualitative evidence synthesis that is intended to be integrated subsequently with the findings of one or more Cochrane reviews of the effects of similar interventions. The review of intervention effects may be undertaken concurrently with or separate to the qualitative evidence synthesis. We encourage further development through reflection and formal testing.

Keywords

  • Journal Article
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)49-58
JournalJournal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume97
Issue numberMay
Early online date13 Dec 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2018

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