MACDONALD-KELCE LIBRARY
Systematic reviews are considered the best tool for synthesizing scientific evidence. Increasingly, they have become a way to optimize the search for quality information for researchers and a valuable aid for decision-making based on evidence from professionals in the applied field of Health Sciences.
Cajal, B., Jiménez, R., Gervilla, E., and Montaño, J. J. (2020). Doing a Systematic Review in Health Sciences. Clínica y Salud, 31(2) , 77 - 83. https://doi.org/10.5093/clysa2020a15
Correspondence: rafa.jimenez@uib.es (R. Jiménez)
A systematic literature review is often the first and essential step in the research process.
A rigorously conducted literature review will help you to:
A systematic review is a review of the literature that addresses a clearly formulated question and uses systematic and explicit methods to:
What is a Systematic Review? by medical librarian Carrie Price.
Her series of literature reviews and other medical research can be found here.
Another way to look at how to conduct a systematic review is presented by the research guide from Ohio State University.
Their Outline to Steps of a Systematic Review is as follows:
In the article entitled “Five Steps To Conducting A Systematic Review” by Khan et al., the authors outline a clear path to this process.
Step 1: Framing questions for a review. The problems to be addressed by the review should be specified in the form of clear, unambiguous and structured questions before beginning the review work. Once the review questions have been set, modifications to the protocol should be allowed only if alternative ways of defining the populations, interventions, outcomes, or study designs become apparent.
Step 2: Identifying relevant work.
The search for studies should be extensive. Multiple resources (both computerized and printed) should be searched without language restrictions. The study selection criteria should flow directly from the review questions and be specified a priori. Reasons for inclusion and exclusion should be recorded
Step 3: Assessing the quality of studies.
Study quality assessment is relevant to every step of a review. Question formulation (Step 1) and study selection criteria (Step 2) should describe the minimum acceptable level of design. Selected studies should be subjected to a more refined quality assessment by use of general critical appraisal guides and design-based quality checklists (Step 3). These detailed quality assessments will be used for exploring heterogeneity and informing decisions regarding suitability of meta-analysis (Step 4). In addition, they help in assessing the strength of inferences and making recommendations for future research (Step 5).
Step 4: Summarizing the evidence.
Data synthesis consists of tabulation of study characteristics, quality, and effects as well as use of statistical methods for exploring differences between studies and combining their effects (meta-analysis). Exploration of heterogeneity and its sources should be planned in advance (Step 3). If an overall meta-analysis cannot be done, subgroup meta-analysis may be feasible.
Step 5: Interpreting the findings
The issues highlighted in each of the four steps above should be met. The risk of publication bias and related biases should be explored. Exploration for heterogeneity should help determine whether the overall summary can be trusted, and, if not, the effects observed in high-quality studies should be used for generating inferences. Any recommendations should be graded by reference to the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence.
Khan KS, Kunz R, Kleijnen J, Antes G. Five steps to conducting a systematic review. J R Soc Med. 2003 Mar;96(3):118-21. doi: 10.1258/jrsm.96.3.118. PMID: 12612111; PMCID: PMC539417. Retrieved online from PubMed Central https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539417/ 8.22.2022.
Note: This article gives an example of a review: Safety of Public Water Fluoridation.
A chart is also given as to how the research was recorded and examined. (Figure 1)
See also a Description of quality assessment of studies (Table 1)
Use this Reference Guide for Health Sciences and Human Performance for database and book resources, also resources on medical terminology.
Databases helpful for your research including systematic reviewed literature.
Conducting Research Literature Reviews by
MeSH
To improve the quality of using medical subjects, use MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) found here https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html . You can use this tool to focus in more detail on a particular disease or medical condition. You can also search for a term in the MeSH browser and bring up various records in the NLM (National Library of Medicine) database. See…
Cochrane
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
by Higgins, Julian P. T; Thomas, James; Chandler, Jacqueline ; More...
Wiley, 2nd ed, 2019
.... The second edition of The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains essential guidance for preparing and maintaining Cochrane Reviews of the effects of health interventions...
eBook (Full text online) See Chapters 1-4
Cite: Higgins, J. P. T., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M. J., & Welch, V. A. (2019). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. APA (7th ed.)
JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis
The JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis provides guidance to authors for the conduct and preparation of JBI systematic reviews and evidence syntheses.
There are separate chapters devoted to the synthesis of different types of evidence and to address different types of review questions.
Please contact JBL for queries regarding reproduction and other permissions.
How to cite
For more information, see the Prisma Statement website.
Below is a simple Prisma flow diagram used in meta analysis to help track your study process, extract your data and synthesize your results, seen here.
Systematic literature review of templates for reporting prehospital major incident medical management by Sabina Fattah, Marius Rehn, Ririk Rejerth, Torben Wisborg. BMJ (open access) Emergency Medicine Research.
Systematic Review of the Literature Regarding the Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea
Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, No1 by Susan D Ross, MD, FRCPC, EPC Project Director; Investigators: I Elaine Allen, PhD, Katherine J Harrison, BA, Marion Kvasz, MD, Janet Connelly, BS, and Iris A Sheinhait, MA. Rockville (MD): Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (US); 1999 Feb. Report No.: 99-E002
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