This online workshop, organised by Cochrane Iran, is the first national systematic review and meta-analysis workshop in 2021 through the collaboration of Cochrane Iran Associate Centre and Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Studies Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (SYRMAN). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this workshop will be held as a virtual event via Skyroom for three days, with up to 150 participants. Online lectures, questions and answers, live chats and some exercises will all be available in a virtual environment.
Trainers: Dr. Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Dr. Farid Najafi, Dr. Payam Kabiri, Dr. Ali Kabir & Dr. Bita Mesgarpour
Aim/ Content:
This workshop aims to familiarize participants with systematic review studies and meta-analysis. It will include:-
- Introduction to the principle of systematic review and meta-analysis studies
- Types of the studies and the concept of primary and secondary studies
- Defining the types of review studies and the difference between review studies and systematic review and meta-analysis
- Formulating a systematic review question based on PICO /PECO
- Type and scope of the question, components of the question, research question modification
- Specify keywords
- Determining inclusion and exclusion criteria
Search for evidence
- Searching the database to find the relevant records
- Sensitivity and specificity of a systematic search
- Develop a quality search strategy
- Managing & documenting the results
- Screening records by title and abstract
Quality assessment
- Risk of Bias assessment in Clinical Trials
- Steps to review documents based on related tools
Data extraction and running a meta-analysis
- Data extraction based on the prepared checklist
- Fixed-versus random-effects models in meta-analysis
- Common charts and tests in meta-analysis
- Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis
- Strategies for addressing heterogeneity
- How to conduct a meta-analysis
- Subgroup and sensitivity analysis
Interpreting the results and reporting a meta-analysis study
- Investigating heterogeneity and interpreting sensitivity analysis
- Interpreting the pooled effect size
- Describing publication bias
- Interpreting the forest plot, funnel plot and sensitivity analysis charts
- Cochrane reviews compared to non-Cochrane reviews.
Target group: Medical and health specialists
Requirements: Basic knowledge of epidemiology and biostatistics
Enrolment: Enrolment and further information is available here.
Language: This workshop is taught in Persian.