How to make a systematic review

The book combines the notes of the course Methods and tools for evidence-based public health and information from the web together with personal thoughts by the author.

Abstract

The book follows the course “Methods and tools for evidence-based public health with a focus on infectious disease epidemiology, prevention”. The course has been created by Heidelberg Research to Practice Group Coordination Team, Evaplan and ECDC Virtual academy The purpose of this book is to remind the future self of the author on the contents of the course. There are many guides in the internet, that are more through and better reviewed, for example the cochrane handbook

Quotes

• Its unethical to produce rubbish
• If you need to start in a new field and look for publication you might as well do a systematic review
• In public health you will always make people unhappy. Get used to it.
• Evidence needs to be put into context

Main points to take away

• Systematic reviews are a scientific method that involves distinct and strict steps.
• There are differences between evidence based medicine, evidence based public health and evidence informed policy
• There are different types of synthesis: meta-analysis, systematic reviews, literature review, rapid review
• There are different types of primary studies: randomised controlled trial, cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional study, observational study, expert opinion
• Asses the quality of publications with PRISMA for systematic reviews and STROBE for observational studies
• The GRADE tool assesses the body of evidence
• There are a lot of frameworks to go from evidence to decision
• A cates plot is good for informing
• A logic model graphically shows a problem and a solution for that