scholarly journals Evaluation of the Biases in the Studies that Assess the Effects of the Great Recession on Health. A Systematic Review

Author(s):  
Marc Saez ◽  
Maria Antònia Barceló ◽  
Carme Saurina ◽  
Andrés Cabrera ◽  
Antonio Daponte

Background: Our main objective was to evaluate the fundamental biases detected in studies assessing the effects the Great Recession had on health for the case of Spain. As secondary objectives we presented methods to control these biases and to discuss the results of the studies in question if they had controlled for them. Methods: We carried out a systematic review of the literature published up to June 2018. We evaluated the biases that could have happened in all the eligible studies. Results: From the review, we finally selected 53 studies. Of the studies we reviewed, 60.38% or 32 out of 53, were evaluated as having a high risk of bias. The main biases our review revealed were problems with evaluation, time bias, lack of control of unobserved confounding, and non-exogeneity when defining the onset of the Great Recession. Conclusions: The results from the studies that controlled the biases were quite consistent. Summing up, the studies reviewed found that the Great Recession increased the risk of declaring poor self-rated health and the deterioration of mental health. Both the mortality rate and the suicide rate may well have increased after the Great Recession, probably after a three- to four-year delay.

Author(s):  
Julia Heffernan ◽  
Ewan McDonald ◽  
Elizabeth Hughes ◽  
Richard Gray

Police, ambulance and mental health tri-response services are a relatively new model of responding to people experiencing mental health crisis in the community, but limited evidence exists examining their efficacy. To date there have been no systematic reviews that have examined the association between the tri-response model and rates of involuntary detentions. A systematic review examining co-response models demonstrated possible reduction in involuntary detention, however, recommended further research. The aim of this protocol is to describe how we will systematically review the evidence base around the relationship of the police, ambulance mental health tri-response models in reducing involuntary detentions. We will search health, policing and grey literature databases and include clinical evaluations of any design. Risk of bias will be determined using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool and a narrative synthesis will be undertaken to synthesis key themes. Risk of bias and extracted data will be summarized in tables and results synthesis tabulated to identify patterns within the included studies. The findings will inform future research into the effectiveness of tri-response police, ambulance, and mental health models in reducing involuntary detentions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 106873
Author(s):  
Nina Mulia ◽  
Yu Ye ◽  
Katherine J. Karriker-Jaffe ◽  
Libo Li ◽  
William C. Kerr ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 1011-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah N. Bowe ◽  
Adrienne M. Laury ◽  
Stacey T. Gray

Objective This systematic review aims to evaluate which applicant characteristics available to an otolaryngology selection committee are associated with future performance in residency or practice. Data Sources PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, Health Business, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and SocINDEX. Review Methods Study eligibility was performed by 2 independent investigators in accordance with the PRISMA protocol (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses). Data obtained from each article included research questions, study design, predictors, outcomes, statistical analysis, and results/findings. Study bias was assessed with the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Results The initial search identified 439 abstracts. Six articles fulfilled all inclusion and exclusion criteria. All studies were retrospective cohort studies (level 4). Overall, the studies yielded relatively few criteria that correlated with residency success, with generally conflicting results. Most studies were found to have a high risk of bias. Conclusion Previous resident selection research has lacked a theoretical background, thus predisposing this work to inconsistent results and high risk of bias. The included studies provide historical insight into the predictors and criteria (eg, outcomes) previously deemed pertinent by the otolaryngology field. Additional research is needed, possibly integrating aspects of personnel selection, to engage in an evidence-based approach to identify highly qualified candidates who will succeed as future otolaryngologists.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayra Anna Martin-Key ◽  
Benedetta Spadaro ◽  
Erin Funnell ◽  
Eleanor Jane Barker ◽  
Thea Sofie Schei ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Given the role digital technologies are likely to play in the future of mental healthcare, there is a need for a comprehensive appraisal of the current state and validity (i.e., screening/diagnostic accuracy) of digital mental health assessments. OBJECTIVE To explore the current state and validity of question-and-answer-based digital tools for diagnosing and screening psychiatric conditions in adults. METHODS This systematic review was based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework and was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, ASSIA, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were systematically searched for articles published between 2005 and 2020. A descriptive evaluation of the study characteristics and digital solutions and a quantitative appraisal of the screening/diagnostic accuracy of the included tools was conducted. Risk of bias and applicability were assessed using the Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) guidelines. RESULTS A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria, with the most frequently evaluated conditions encompassing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and any depressive disorder. The majority of the studies employed digitized versions of existing pen-and-paper questionnaires, with findings revealing poor to excellent screening/diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity = 0.36-1.00, specificity = 0.37-1.00, AUC = 0.57-0.98) and a high risk of bias for most of the included studies. CONCLUSIONS The current state of the field of digital mental health tools is in its early stages and high-quality evidence is lacking. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/25382


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (16) ◽  
pp. 875-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Delporte ◽  
F. Henon ◽  
G. Ploussard ◽  
A. Briganti ◽  
J. Rizk ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L Currie ◽  
Richard Larouche ◽  
M. L. Voss ◽  
Erin K. Higa ◽  
Rae Spiwak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: COVID-19 has resulted in an increased demand for online mental health services globally. There is emerging evidence for the efficacy for group online interventions that support population-based mental health, but a systematic review is lacking. The primary objective of this rapid systematic review is to summarize the evidence for online group counselling programs for adults. A second objective is to assess, within studies selected for our primary objective, the impact of online group counselling programs that encourage PA on outcomes compared to those that do not.Methods and Design: Randomized controlled trials that assess the impact of online group counselling programs on substance use, mental health, or physical health among community dwelling adults will be searched in MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINHAL, and the Central Register of Controlled Trials. The review will be structured using PRISMA guidelines. Studies will be synthesized using the Cochrane Handbook and Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis (SWiM) reporting guideline. Quality will be evaluated using GRADE. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool; with higher quality studies prioritized when drawing conclusions. The role of sex and gender will be considered as well as possible gender biases at all stages of the review.Discussion: This review will examine the effectiveness of online counselling programs that can be delivered to populations in a group format, and thus in a potentially cost-effective way. Findings will inform the decisions of governments, communities, and health care organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Systematic review registration: The protocol has been registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42020187551).


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e018132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Phang Romero Casas ◽  
Marrissa Martyn-St James ◽  
Jean Hamilton ◽  
Daniel S Marinho ◽  
Rodolfo Castro ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the test performance including sensitivity and specificity of rapid immunochromatographic syphilis (ICS) point-of-care (POC) tests at antenatal clinics compared with reference standard tests (non-treponemal (TP) and TP tests) for active syphilis in pregnant women.MethodsFive electronic databases were searched (PubMed, EMBASE, CRD, Cochrane Library and LILACS) to March 2016 for diagnostic accuracy studies of ICS test and standard reference tests for syphilis in pregnant women. Methodological quality was assessed using QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies). A bivariate meta-analysis was undertaken to generate pooled estimates of diagnostic parameters. Results were presented using a coupled forest plot of sensitivity and specificity and a scatter plot.ResultsThe methodological quality of the five included studies with regards to risk of bias and applicability concern judgements was either low or unclear. One study was judged as high risk of bias for patient selection due to exclusion of pregnant women with a previous history of syphilis, and one study was judged at high risk of bias for study flow and timing as not all patients were included in the analysis. Five studies contributed to the meta-analysis, providing a pooled sensitivity and specificity for ICS of 0.85 (95% CrI: 0.73 to 0.92) and 0.98 (95% CrI: 0.95 to 0.99), respectively.ConclusionsThis review and meta-analysis observed that rapid ICS POC tests have a high sensitivity and specificity when performed in pregnant women at antenatal clinics. However, the methodological quality of the existing evidence base should be taken into consideration when interpreting these results.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42016036335.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Akihiro Shiroshita ◽  
Yasuhiro Oda ◽  
Seiji Takenouchi ◽  
Noboru Hagino ◽  
Yuki Kataoka

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The sensitivity and specificity of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies have not been systematically analyzed. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of anti-GBM antibodies for anti-GBM disease. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Potential studies were searched using MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform based on the index test and target condition. The inclusion criteria were prospective or retrospective cohort studies or case-control studies assessing the sensitivity and specificity of anti-GBM antibodies, and the reference standard was clinical diagnosis including biopsy results. The exclusion criteria were review articles, case reports, animal studies, and in vitro studies. Quality assessment was conducted based on the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model. The overall quality was evaluated using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Six studies (1,691 patients) and 11 index tests were included in our systematic review. A high risk of bias and concerns regarding the applicability of patient selection were noted because of the case-control design in 67% of the included studies. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 93% (95% CI: 84–97%) and 97% (95% CI: 94–99%), respectively. The certainty of evidence was low because of the high risk of bias and indirectness. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> Anti-GBM antibodies may exhibit high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of anti-GBM disease. Further cohort studies are needed to confirm their precise diagnostic accuracy and compare diagnostic accuracies among different immunoassays.


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