Guide for Developing a Cochrane Protocol - Cochrane Public Health ...

Chapter 21 in Cochrane Handbook on Reviews in Health Promotion and Public Health
(www.cochrane-handbook.org)
The Cochrane Non-Randomised Studies Methods Group has provided information on how
non-randomised studies should be dealt with in Cochrane reviews (see Chapter 13 in
Cochrane Handbook (www.cochrane-handbook.org).
Cochrane Consumers and Communication Group have useful information on study
designs at :
www.latrobe.edu.au/cochrane/assets/downloads/StudyQualityGuide050307.pdf )
Refer to Cochrane Health Equity website for information on assessing issues relevant to
equity, along with a checklist for authors that can be used and submitted along with the
draft protocol (http://equity.cochrane.org)
Search methods
Include a description of the search strategy to be used to retrieve studies. You should list the
sources to be searched (e.g. reference databases, personal contacts, hand searches of journals).
At a minimum you should search Medline, Embase and CENTRAL. Include a rationale for the
choice of literature sources (e.g. ERIC for reviews of educational interventions) if possible and the
years to be covered. It may be useful to refer to your logic model to justify your approach.
Consider including databases relevant for health equity. Relevant trial/study registers and
repositories of results must also be included in your search to reduce the risk of publication bias
and identify ongoing studies. Reference lists of included studies and any relevant systematic
reviews identified must also be searched and this should be noted in your protocol.
You should also describe the mechanisms you intend to use or resources that you have available
to enable you to retrieve potentially relevant documents, especially ones that are unpublished
and/or written in languages other than English. For example, you may plan to contact relevant
individuals and organisations for information about unpublished or ongoing studies. You should
not apply inclusion restrictions based on publication status or language. The CPHG can assist
authors in identifying potential options for translations if they are required. You should consider
mechanisms for searching grey literature, for example using databases such as OpenSIGLE. If
searching restrictions are necessary, a rationale must be provided.
You should at least make a first attempt at a search strategy (ideally utilising an information
specialist available to the review author team). The CPHG Trials Search Coordinator, Ruth Turley
(TurleyRL@cardiff.ac.uk) will provide feedback once you have submitted your protocol for
editorial review. Your protocol should include (as an appendix) a complete electronic search
strategy for one database (usually Medline). Consider including terms or concepts in your search
strategy that are relevant for health equity. Note that generally CPHG review authors will need to
conduct their own searches. We therefore recommend that an information specialist be recruited
to the author team. You should outline in your protocol who will conduct the searches.
Resources
Cochrane Handbook – Chapters 6 and 21
Chapter 21 in Cochrane Handbook on Reviews in Health Promotion and Public Health
(www.cochrane-handbook.org)
Last updated: 24 November 2011 - 9 -