Chapter 18: Systematic Reviews: Meta-Analysis & Metasynthesis

Question 1

What is a systematic review?

Answer 1

integrates research evidence about a specific research question from multiple sources using careful sampling and data collection procedures that are spelled out in advance.

Question 2

What is the Cochrane Collaboration?

Answer 2

the most known place systematic reviews can be found.

Question 3

Systematic reviews:
Meta-Analysis =

Metasynthesis =

Answer 3

Meta-Analysis = quantitative

Metasynthesis = qualitative

Question 4

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis

The _________ a measure of how effective the independent variable is in causing an outcome.

Answer 4

effect size

Question 5

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis

A Meta-Analysis uses the findings from each study in a systematic review to calculate an ___________.

Answer 5

effect size

Question 6

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis
When is a meta-analysis appropriate? (2)

When is a meta-analysis inappropriate? (1)

Answer 6

1) The research question for each study described needs to be near-identical.
2) There needs to be enough strong studies to merit its use.

1) If strong studies of the same type provide conflicting evidence, then a meta-analysis is not appropriate

Question 7

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis
________ _________ is a factor assessed to determine if a meta-analysis is appropriate.
In other words, are the results conflicting between different studies on the same research question?

Answer 7

Statistical heterogeneity

Question 8

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis
Problem Formulation:
The question should be ______ or ________.

Answer 8

narrow or focused

Question 9

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Design
The design should sample _______ studies that address the narrowed or focused research question.

The design should clearly state what studies will be ______ or _______.

Answer 9

Primary studies

allowed or excluded

Question 10

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Literature Review
A systematic review aims to be objective in its findings.

The researchers _____(do/don’t?) include studies they were involved with for objectivity.

Answer 10

DON’T

Question 11

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Literature Review
In the literature search, there is a risk for ___________ if the study excludes articles that are not peer-reviewed.

_________ is the tendency for published studies to systematically overrepresent statistically significant findings.

Answer 11

Publication bias (same for both blanks)

Question 12

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Literature Review
__________ refers to studies that have not been published or were rejected by publishers. Publishers tend to reject articles that do not have significant results.

Answer 12

Gray literature

Question 13

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Quality

Quality assessments can vary in approach but need to be done by _____________ to agree on all ratings of quality.

Answer 13

multiple researchers

Question 14

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Data Extraction
Each study needs certain data recorded.

Name some (8):

Studies need to provide enough information to either calculate ______ or to calculate it from the data.

Answer 14

Date

2) location
3) sample size
4) if randomization was used
5) if blinding was used
6) attrition
7) the length of follow-up
8) participant characteristics

Studies need to provide enough information to either calculate EFFECT SIZE or to calculate it from the data.

Question 15

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Data Analysis
What needs to be the same between studies to calculate the effect size?

When might this be difficult?

Answer 15

The scale that is used to calculate outcomes

Example: if the outcome is weight, it is easier to calculate effect size.
However, if the result is pain and different scales were used then it is more complicated.

Question 16

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Data Analysis

What are the 3 Methods for Calculation of Effects?

Answer 16

1) Cohen’s d
2) Odd’s Ratio or Relative Risk
3) Pearson’s r

Question 17

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Calc. of Effects

______ is used for studies where the outcomes are dichotomies.

Answer 17

Odd’s ratio or Relative Risk

Question 18

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Calc. of Effects

_______ is used for nonexperimental studies.

Answer 18

Pearson’s r

Question 19

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Calc. of Effects

______ is used for quantitative studies with numerical scale type results.

Answer 19

Cohen’s d

Question 20

Systematic reviews: Meta-Analysis + Results
Once effect sizes are calculated, the results can be presented on a ________ to see the effects for each study.
_________ can determine if a meta-analysis is appropriate to use based on the calculated effect sizes.

Answer 20

forest plot (for both blanks)

Question 21

Systematic reviews: Metasynthesis
A metasynthesis collects data from multiple qualitative studies and analyzes ______.

It is not a _____________.

Answer 21

analyzes themes

NOT a literature review

Question 22

Systematic reviews: Metasynthesis

Name the 5 Steps in a Metasynthesis

Answer 22

1) Problems Formulation
2) Design
3) Literature Review
4) Study Quality
5) Data Analysis

Question 23

Systematic review: Metasynthesis

Will involve one or more researchers, often of which are researchers who were ……

Answer 23

who were directly involved in the primary studies

Question 24

Systematic review: Metasynthesis+Problem Formulation

How focused is the research question for a metasynthesis in comparison to a Meta-Analysis?

Answer 24

The research question is focused to a degree but not as focused as you would see with a meta-analysis.

Question 25

Systematic review: Metasynthesis
Researchers may prefer to look outside published peer-reviewed journals due to the page limits publishers have.

Name an example of this:

Answer 25

A dissertation

• not peer-reviewed or published
• but doesn’t have a page limit and can contain all of the information obtained through data collection.

Question 26

Systematic review: Metasynthesis

Similar to a meta-analysis, the researchers should describe what studies were ……

Answer 26

what studies were included and excluded

Question 27

Systematic review: Metasynthesis + Literature Review

How involved is the literature review for a metasynthesis in comparison to a Meta-Analysis?

Answer 27

The literature review may be less involved due to the difficulty in locating qualitative studies.

Question 28

Systematic review: Metasynthesis + Quality

Are Quality measures always used to assess for inclusion criteria?

Answer 28

Some metasyntheses will assess study quality while others will not use it for inclusion criteria.

Question 29

Systematic review: Metasynthesis + Data Collection

What data is collected from each article for a metasynthesis?

Answer 29

1) year
2) sample
3) methodology
4) key themes
5) metaphors
6) or categories

Question 30

Systematic review: Metasynthesis + Data Analysis
How defined is data analysis for a metasynthesis in comparison to a Meta-Analysis?

Do they use Effect size?

Answer 30

Data analysis is less defined than in a meta-analysis

Effect sizes can be calculated and used for analysis

Question 31

Name 3 similarities between a Meta-Analysis & Metasynthesis:

Answer 31

Both types:

1) focus on primary research studies
2) can calculate effect size
3) can begin with a focused research question