Michelle Henley, MLSUCSF @ San Francisco General Hospital

Bethany Myers, MLISUCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library

Librarians partnering on systematic reviewsInsights from the University of Pittsburgh Systematic Review Workshop

• A review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review.*

• May include statistical methods (meta-analysis) to analyze and summarize results of the included studies.

• Limiting bias is key to selection and assessment of studies.

* http://www.cochrane.org/faq/general

What is a systematic review ?

• Literature (aka narrative) reviews usually lack systematic search protocols or criteria for selection and appraisal of studies.

• They may be helpful to obtain a broad perspective on a topic, but there is typically no attempt to limit bias.

• Articles cited may be biased towards the author’s viewpoint.

How does it differ from a literature review?

Systematic review vs. narrative review

Petticrew M. Systematic reviews from astronomy to zoology: myths and misconceptions. BMJ. 2001 Jan 13;322(7278):98-101.

• Key to evidence-based processes

• With RCTs, highest level of evidence in healthcare

• Reliably measure benefits/harms associated with treatment options (aka comparative effectiveness)

Why are systematic reviews important?

1. Assess need, assemble team

2. Create the review protocol

3. Conduct the review

4. Update review as needed

Steps in conducting a systematic review

1. Assess need, assemble team◦ Search for existing systematic reviews◦ Scoping review search

2. Create the review protocol◦Assist in formation/revision of search question◦Help with clarification or definitions of concepts◦Assist with preliminary search strategy

Where librarians can participate

3. Conduct the review◦Write methods section (search strategy, execution)◦Document, save search strategies/details

4. Update review as needed◦Rerun search for review update

Where librarians can participate, cont’d

• Who: librarians!

• What: overview of the process of systematic reviews

• Where: University of Pittsburgh, Falk Library

• When: Offered three times a year: April, July, November*

• Why: gives context to the role of expert searcher as part of the

research team

* Presenters attended July and November 2014, respectively

Systematic Review Workshop:The Nuts and Bolts for Librarians

• Introduction• Study design◦ Levels of evidence◦Basic study designs: observational and experimental

• Librarian authorship◦ IOM Standards for Systematic Reviews

• Reference interview• Other types of reviews• Reporting bias

Course Day 1

• Choosing databases◦And when to stop!

• Harvesting search terms◦ Keywords◦ Controlled vocabulary words

• Methodology filters (hedges)• Grey literature◦ e.g., registered trials, conference proceedings, dissertations

& theses, white papers, reports

Course Day 2

• Hand searching◦Manually browsing topical journals

• Data management◦ For the investigator◦ For the librarian

• Search delivery◦ Saved search, citation manager file, spreadsheet…

• Writing the methods section◦ PRISMA

Course Day 3

• How to get started and work with researchers

• Importance of reference interview

• Practical term harvesting

• Importance of testing each component of a large search

• Hedges

• Self-confidence

Lessons learned and applied

• Lack of understanding of systematic reviews

• Explaining sensitivity vs specificity

◦ i.e., why are you giving me so many citations?

• Convincing to include other databases/grey lit

• Dealing with an often sporadic process

Challenges to consider

• Systematic reviews take a LONG time to complete ◦ e.g., Cochrane reviews can take 1 year+

• Good communication is essential◦ Set expectations early on time, deliverables◦Don’t be afraid to ask for authorship!

• Document, document, document◦ Search details, results, progress notes◦Must be reproducible

Key takeaways

Workshop pics (Nov.2014)