Meta-Analysis in Health and Risk Messaging

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Zebregs ◽  
Gert-Jan de Bruijn
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Research Synthesis ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Analytical Research ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Quality Assessments ◽  
Selection Of

Meta-analyses are becoming increasingly popular in the field of health and risk communication—meta-analyses allow for more precise estimations of the magnitude of effects and the robustness of those effects across empirical studies in a particular domain. Despite its popularity, most scholars are not trained in the basic methods involved with meta-analyses. There are advantages to meta-analysis in comparison to other forms of research synthesis. An overview of the methods involved in conducting and reporting meta-analytical research is helpful. However, the methods involved with meta-analyses are not as clear-cut as they may first appear. Numerous issues must be considered and various arbitrary decisions are required during the process. These issues and decisions relate to various topics such as inclusion criteria, the selection of sources, quality assessments for eligible studies, and publication bias. Basic knowledge of these issues and decisions is important for interpreting the outcomes of a meta-analysis correctly.

Transparency of reporting in CALL meta-analyses between 2003 and 2015

ReCALL ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huifen Lin ◽  
Tsuiping Chen ◽  
Hsien-Chin Liou
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Research Synthesis ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Research Domain

AbstractSince its introduction by Glass in the 1970s, meta-analysis has become a widely accepted and the most preferred approach to conducting research synthesis. Overcoming the weaknesses commonly associated with traditional narrative review and vote counting, meta-analysis is a statistical method of systematically aggregating and analyzing empirical studies by following well-established procedures. The findings of a meta-analysis, when appropriately conducted, are able to inform important policy decisions and provide practical pedagogical suggestions. With the growing number of publications employing meta-analysis across a wide variety of disciplines, it has received criticism due to its inconsistent findings derived from multiple meta-analyses in the same research domain. These inconsistencies have arisen partly due to the alternatives available to meta-analysts in each major meta-analytic procedure. Researchers have therefore recommended transparent reporting on the decision-making for every essential judgment call so that the results across multiple meta-analyses become replicable, consistent, and interpretable. This research explored the degree to which meta-analyses in the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) discipline transparently reported their decisions in every critical step. To achieve this aim, we retrieved 15 eligible meta-analyses in CALL published between 2003 and 2015. Features of these meta-analyses were extracted based on a codebook modified from Cooper (2003) and Aytug, Rothstein, Zhou and Kern (2012). A transparency score of reporting was then calculated to examine the degree to which these meta-analyses are compliant with the norms of reporting as recommended in the literature. We then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies and provide suggestions for conducting quality meta-analyses in this domain.

scholarly journals Osteoarthritis, mobility-related comorbidities and mortality: an overview of meta-analyses

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 1759720X2098121
Author(s):  
Gustavo Constantino de Campos ◽  
Raman Mundi ◽  
Craig Whittington ◽  
Marie-Josée Toutounji ◽  
Wilson Ngai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Ischemic Attack ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Related Mortality

Aims: The objective of this review was to examine the relationship between osteoarthritis (OA) and mobility-related comorbidities, specifically diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It also investigated the relationship between OA and mortality. Methods: An overview of meta-analyses was conducted by performing two targeted searches from inception to June 2020. The association between OA and (i) DM or CVD ( via PubMed and Embase); and (ii) mortality ( via PubMed) was investigated. Meta-analyses were selected if they included studies that examined adults with OA at any site and reported associations between OA and DM, CVD, or mortality. Evidence was synthesized qualitatively. Results: Six meta-analyses met inclusion criteria. One meta-analysis of 20 studies demonstrated a statistically significant association between OA and DM, with pooled odds ratio of 1.41 (95% confidence interval: 1.21, 1.65; n = 1,040,175 patients). One meta-analysis of 15 studies demonstrated significantly increased risk of CVD among OA patients, with a pooled risk ratio of 1.24 (1.12, 1.37, n = 358,944 patients). Stratified by type of CVD, OA was shown to be associated with increased heart failure (HF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) and reduced transient ischemic attack (TIA). There was no association reported for stroke or myocardial infarction (MI). Three meta-analyses did not find a significant association between OA (any site) and all-cause mortality. However, OA was found to be significantly associated with cardiovascular-related death across two meta-analyses. Conclusion: The identified meta-analyses reported significantly increased risk of both DM and CVD (particularly, HF and IHD) among OA patients. It was not possible to confirm consistent directional or causal relationships. OA was found to be associated with increased mortality, but mostly in relation to CVD-related mortality, suggesting that further study is warranted in this area.

scholarly journals Reporting standards for literature searches and report inclusion criteria: Making research syntheses more transparent and easy to replicate

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Moshontz
Keyword(s):  
Literature Search ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Synthesis ◽  
Search Strategies ◽  
Reference Database ◽  
Synthesis Methods ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Made In

A complete description of the literature search, including the criteria used for the inclusion of reports after they have been located, used in a research synthesis or meta-analysis is critical if subsequent researchers are to accurately evaluate and reproduce a synthesis' methods and results. Based on previous guidelines and new suggestions, we present a set of focused and detailed standards for reporting the methods used in a literature search. The guidelines cover five search strategies: reference database searches, journal and bibliography searches, searches of the reference lists of reports, citation searches, and direct contact searches. First, we bring together all the unique recommendations made in existing guidelines for research synthesis. Second, we identify gaps in reporting standards for search strategies. Third, we address these gaps by providing new reporting recommendations. Our hope is to facilitate successful evaluation and replication of research synthesis results.

scholarly journals An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis on the attachment network to multiple caregivers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Or Dagan ◽  
Pasco Fearon ◽  
Carlo Schuengel ◽  
Marije Verhage ◽  
Glenn I. Roisman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Research Synthesis ◽  
Individual Participant Data ◽  
Attachment Relationship ◽  
Attachment Research ◽  
Individual Participant ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Meta Analyses

Since the seminal 1992 paper by van IJzendoorn, Sagi, and Lambermon, putting forward the “The multiple caretaker paradox”, relatively little attention has been given to the potential joint effects of the role early attachment network to mother and father play in development. Recently, Dagan and Sagi-Schwartz (2018) have published a paper that attempts to revive this unsettled issue, calling for research on the subject and offering a framework for posing attachment network hypotheses. This Collaboration for Attachment Research Synthesis project attempts to use an Individual Participant Data meta-analyses to test the hypotheses put forward in Dagan and Sagi-Schwartz (2018). Specifically, we test (a) whether the number of secure attachments (0,1, or 2) matter in predicting a range of developmental outcomes, and (b) whether the quality of attachment relationship with one parent contributes more than the other to these outcomes.

Sensorineural hearing loss with macrolide antibiotics exposure: a meta-analysis of the association

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazed Saleh Alsowaida ◽  
Abdulaziz Saleh Almulhim ◽  
Mok Oh ◽  
Brian Erstad ◽  
Ivo Abraham
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Macrolide Antibiotics ◽  
Random Effects Model ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Objective Macrolide antibiotics are among the most commonly used antibiotics; the association of macrolide antibiotics exposure with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has been hypothesized. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library from inception to 15 July 2019 to identify studies used macrolide antibiotics for any indication. The results were reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using random-effects model to derive the association of macrolide antibiotics exposure with SNHL. The objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the association of macrolide antibiotics exposure and SNHL from up-to-date evidence. Key findings Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. There was no statistically significant association between macrolide antibiotics exposure and SNHL; the OR was 1.20 (95% CI: 0.96 to 1.49). No significant association was found with any of the subgroup meta-analyses. Summary Whilst the frequency of SNHL was higher with macrolide antibiotics exposure compared with controls, overall, no association was found between macrolide antibiotics and SNHL.

Surgical Management of Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 019459982094489
Author(s):  
Ryan Kendall Thorpe ◽  
Sohit Paul Kanotra
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Surgical Intervention ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Vocal Fold Paralysis ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Initial Management ◽  
Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis ◽  
Meta Analyses

Objectives To examine and compare the outcomes of various types of glottic widening surgery (GWS) for initial management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) in children, the outcomes of different GWS procedures in children who underwent initial tracheostomy, and the rate of decannulation in children who underwent tracheostomy alone versus tracheostomy followed by GWS. Data Sources PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched following the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) on September 9, 2019, with no date restriction. Review Methods Articles focusing on GWS or tracheostomy for initial management of BVFP were included. Articles describing patients who received no surgical intervention for BVFP were excluded. Results A total of 5989 articles were reviewed: 67 articles met inclusion criteria, and 240 patients were incorporated into the analysis. Patients who underwent primary GWS had an eventual tracheostomy rate of 6.0% (5/83). There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of tracheostomy, reoperation, or mortality among cricoid split, suture lateralization, and cordectomy/cordotomy. Patients who underwent primary tracheostomy failed to achieve decannulation in 36.9% (58/157) of cases. Decannulation was more likely in tracheostomized children who received GWS than those who did not (odds ratio, 6.336; P < .0001). Conclusions Most children who undergo primary GWS for BVFP avoid tracheostomy or reoperation. These data demonstrated no differences in surgical outcomes among the most common types of GWS for BVFP. For children who receive a tracheostomy as their first intervention for BVFP, GWS is associated with a significantly improved rate of decannulation.

scholarly journals Impact of Non-Confinement Accommodation on Farrowing Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Farrowing Crates Versus Pens

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dannielle Glencorse ◽  
Kate Plush ◽  
Susan Hazel ◽  
Darryl D’Souza ◽  
Michelle Hebart
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Piglet Mortality ◽  
Partial Confinement ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Piglet Survival

There are conflicting reports regarding the effect of farrowing house accommodation on piglet performance. The aim of this investigation was to use a systematic review and meta-analyses to summarise the results of publications that focused on direct comparisons between full confinement conventional crates and various designs of loose-housed farrowing pens from loading until weaning. Literature searches in Scopus, BIOSIS Previews, Cab Abstracts, and Web of Science identified 6695 articles. Twenty-two publications were retained for the systematic review and individual meta-analyses after screening for inclusion criteria. The random effects meta-analyses were performed on crate versus pen for number of piglets born alive, number of stillborn piglets, pre-weaning mortality, and number of piglets weaned. Additionally, the modifiers of confinement length (no confinement from loading until weaning or partial confinement for shorter periods of time in the early stages post parturition), enrichment (no enrichment or enrichment provided), and pen size (small, medium, or large) were examined. There was a 14% increase in the relative risk of piglet mortality in farrowing pens when they were compared with crates (p = 0.0015). The number of stillborns per litter was not different between the pen and crate. However, when providing enrichment in the pens, there was an increase in stillborns within farrowing crates versus pens (p = 0.009). There was no overall effect on piglets that were born alive or number weaned. As there is no difference between piglets born alive and mortality is significantly higher in farrowing pens, a reduction in the number of piglets weaned was expected but not observed, which was possibly due to the lack of weaning details provided in the publications. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the performance of farrowing accommodation and identified that farrowing pens do compromise post-natal piglet survival. Future efforts should focus on improving sow comfort in the farrowing crate to maximize both piglet and sow welfare.

Socioeconomic Status and Academic Outcomes in Developing Countries: A Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung won Kim ◽  
Hyunsun Cho ◽  
Lois Y. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
K 12

Despite the multiple meta-analyses documenting the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and achievement, none have examined this question outside of English-speaking industrialized countries. This study is the first meta-analytic effort, to the best of our knowledge, to focus on developing countries. Based on 49 empirical studies representing 38 countries, and a sample of 2,828,216 school-age students (grades K–12) published between 1990 and 2017, we found an overall weak relation between SES and academic outcomes. Results for attainment outcomes were stronger than achievement outcomes, and the effect size was stronger in more economically developed countries. The SES-academic outcome relation was further moderated by grade level and gender. There were no differences in the strength of the relation by specific SES measures of income/consumption, education, and wealth/home resources. Our results provide evidence that educational inequalities are wider in higher income countries, creating a serious challenge for developing countries as they expand school access.

scholarly journals Comparative clinical trials in psychotherapy: Have large effects been replicated?

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nickolas D. Frost ◽  
Thomas W. Baskin ◽  
Bruce E. Wampold
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Treatment Efficacy ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Average Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Aims The purpose of this review is to examine the replication attempts of psychotherapy clinical trials for depression and anxiety. We focus specifically on replications of trials that exhibit large differences between psychotherapies. The replicability of these trials is especially important for meta-analysis, where the inclusion of false-positive trials can lead to erroneous conclusions about treatment efficacy. Methods Standard replication criteria were developed to distinguish direct from conceptual replication methodologies. Next, an exhaustive literature search was conducted for published meta-analyses of psychotherapy comparisons. Trials that exhibited large effects (d > 0.8) were culled from these meta-analyses. For each trial, a cited replication was conducted to determine if the trial had been subsequently replicated by either ‘direct’ or ‘conceptual’ methods. Finally, a broader search was conducted to examine the extent of replication efforts in the psychotherapy literature overall. Results In the meta-analytic search, a total of N = 10 meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria. From these meta-analyses, N = 12 distinct trials exhibited large effect sizes. The meta-analyses containing more than two large effect trials reported evidence for treatment superiority. A cited replication search yielded no direct replication attempts (N = 0) for the trials with large effects, and N = 4 conceptual replication attempts of average or above average quality. However, of these four attempts, only two partially corroborated the results from their original trial. Conclusion Meta-analytic reviews are influenced by trials with large effects, and it is not uncommon for these reviews to contain several such trials. Since we find no evidence that trials with such large effects are directly replicable, treatment superiority conclusions from these reviews are highly questionable. To enhance the quality of clinical science, the development of authoritative replication criteria for clinical trials is needed. Moreover, quality benchmarks should be considered before trials are included in a meta-analysis, or replications are attempted.

Meta-Analyses of Predictors of Health Practices in Pregnant Women

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara L. Cannella ◽  
Adela Yarcheski ◽  
Noreen E. Mahon
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Practices ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Maternal Fetal Attachment ◽  
Support Employment ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fetal Attachment ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Doctoral Dissertations

The aims of this study were to identify predictors of health practices of pregnant women in the literature reviewed, to use meta-analysis to ascertain the mean effect size (ES) across studies between each predictor and health practices, and to examine four moderators on each predictor–health practices relationship. Using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines for the literature assessed, 32 published studies or doctoral dissertations completed between 1992 and 2015 met the inclusion criteria. Twelve predictors were identified, and each predictor in relation to health practices was subjected to meta-analysis. One predictor (maternal–fetal attachment) of health practices had a large ES, two predictors (depression and stress) had medium ESs, six predictors (income, education, parity, social support, employment, and age) had small ESs, and three predictors (gestational age, marital status, and race) had trivial ESs. Findings are interpreted relative to health practices in pregnant women.

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