Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Oct:90:28-36.
doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.06.014. Epub 2017 Jul 15.

AHRQ series on complex intervention systematic reviews-paper 4: selecting analytic approaches

Meera Viswanathan  1 , Melissa L McPheeters  2 , M Hassan Murad  3 , Mary E Butler  4 , Emily E Beth Devine  5 , Michele P Dyson  6 , Jeanne-Marie Guise  7 , Leila C Kahwati  8 , Jeremy N V Miles  9 , Sally C Morton  10
Affiliations

AHRQ series on complex intervention systematic reviews-paper 4: selecting analytic approaches

Meera Viswanathan et al. J Clin Epidemiol. 2017 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Systematic reviews of complex interventions can vary widely in purpose, data availability and heterogeneity, and stakeholder expectations.

Rationale: This article addresses the uncertainty that systematic reviewers face in selecting methods for reviews of complex interventions. Specifically, it lays out parameters for systematic reviewers to consider when selecting analytic approaches that best answer the questions at hand and suggests analytic techniques that may be appropriate in different circumstances.

Discussion: Systematic reviews of complex interventions comprising multiple questions may use multiple analytic approaches. Parameters to consider when choosing analytic methods for complex interventions include nature and timing of the decision (clinical practice guideline, policy, or other); purpose of the review; extent of existing evidence; logistic factors such as the timeline, process, and resources for deciding the scope of the review; and value of information to be obtained from choosing specific systematic review methods. Reviewers may elect to revise their analytic approach based on new or changing considerations during the course of the review but should guard against bias through transparency of reporting.

Keywords: Complex interventions; Evidence-based medicine; Qualitative research; Research design; Review literature as topic; Systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. Statements in the report should not be construed as endorsement by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Parameters for choosing analytic methods for systematic reviews of complex interventions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Steinberg E, Greenfield S, Mancher M, Wolman DM, Graham R. Clinical practice guidelines we can trust Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2011. - PubMed
    1. National Guideline Clearinghouse. Inclusion criteria. Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality; 2014. Available at http://www.guideline.gov/about/inclusion-criteria.aspx. Accessed July 2015.
    1. Anderson LM, Petticrew M, Chandler J, Grimshaw J, Tugwell P, O’Neill J, et al. Introducing a series of methodological articles on considering complexity in systematic reviews of interventions. J Clin Epidemiol 2013;66:1205–8. - PubMed
    1. Burford B, Lewin S, Welch V, Rehfuess E, Waters E. Assessing the applicability of findings in systematic reviews of complex interventions can enhance the utility of reviews for decision making. J Clin Epidemiol 2013;66:1251–61. - PubMed
    1. Guise J-M, Chang C, Viswanathan M, Glick S, Treadwell J, Umscheid CA, et al. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence-based Practice Center methods for systematically reviewing complex multicomponent health care interventions. J Clin Epidemiol 2014;67:1181–91. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources