Background:
Methods available for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) vary by stage of development and sophistication. There are specific considerations when choosing a QES methodology that will be integrated with a review of effects. Ultimately the choice of QES methodology and methods should facilitate integration of the resulting qualitative synthesis with quantitative reviews of effects to gain an overall understanding of the intervention and its effect, acceptability, implementation and fidelity. Issues of acceptability are of particular importance in ensuring healthcare consumers’ views are represented and understood in relation the effectiveness of interventions. Increasingly, if complexity and a health systems lens is considered important, the qualitative synthesis may also help with explaining aspects of complexity. Recent guidance (published by the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group as a series in December 2017) offers an opportunity to give participants clearer direction on QES methods that are compatible with Cochrane Review processes.

Objectives:
- To introduce participants to three methods for QES that are suitable for use when the aim is to integrate qualitative evidence within Cochrane effect reviews: thematic synthesis, framework synthesis and meta-ethnography.
- To provide participants with worked examples of each QES approach.
- To facilitate small group work in which participants will learn how to:
1) identify the differences within each QES approach;
2) attribute a QE approach to a particular research scenario.

Description:
0-40 minutes: Keynote overview of QES and the three advocated approaches.
40-65 minutes: Facilitated small group work in which participants will be given:
- blinded summaries of findings from each of the QES approaches with the aim of identifying which type of synthesis has been undertaken;
- a series of three research scenarios with the task of identifying which QES approach might fit each research scenario.
65-90 minutes: Discussion to determine how the groups found each task and the issues encountered. This will facilitate discussion around factors to consider when choosing a QES approach alongside practical tips and the challenges of doing so, drawing on facilitators’ experience.