Health equity and patients included: implications for systematic reviews

Workshop category: 

  • Global health and equity
Date and Location

Date: 

Sunday 16 September 2018 - 11:00 to 12:30

Location: 

Menteith
Contact persons and facilitators

Contact person:

Jennifer Petkovic

Facilitators:

Petkovic J1, Welch V2, Tugwell P3, Pottie K4, Riddle A5
1 Campbell and Cochrane Equity Methods Group, Canada
2 Campbell Collaboration, Canada
3 University of Ottawa, Canada
4 University of Ottawa / Bruyere Research Institute, Canada
5 Bruyère Research Institute, Canada
Target audience

Target audience: 

Review authors, researchers with an interest in equity

Level of difficulty: 

Intermediate
Type of workshop

Type of workshop : 

Training
Abstract

Abstract:

Background:
Equity is defined as the absence of avoidable differences in health outcomes. Average results may obscure differences in outcomes across specific populations who may experience health inequity. Systematic reviews can explore the robustness of findings across specific populations who may experience health inequity.

Objectives:
1) Participants will understand how to incorporate equity considerations into their systematic reviews.
2) Participants will understand how to report equity considerations completely and transparently.

Description:
Participants will be introduced to the mnemonic PROGRESS-Plus and how it can be used to formulate questions and design methods to consider health equity (PROGRESS-Plus: Place of residence, Race/ethnicity/language/culture/language, Occupation, Gender/sex, Religion, Education, Socioeconomic status, Social capital).

We will introduce participants to guidance for reporting equity-focussed reviews (PRISMA Equity 2012) and the 2017 GRADE working group guidance on considering health equity in guideline development. We will discuss how stakeholder engagement and inclusion of patients is congruent with health equity goals in reviews and guidelines.

Participants will be divided into small groups to discuss hot topics in the consideration of health equity in Cochrane systematic reviews.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

The Equity Methods Group encourages authors to consider whether population characteristics influence the effectiveness of anintervention. This workshop is relevant for patients and consumers because they can provide input on how different population characteristics should be considered for systematic reviews and guideline development. The work presented in this workshop included patients and consumers in the development of the reporting guideline for systematic reviews (PRISMA-Equity). We also have an advisory group with multiple stakeholders including patients and consumers for our other equity projects.