| Ref ID | 290 |
| First Author | S. Green-Hennessy |
| Journal | PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES |
| Year Of Publishing | 2013 |
| URL | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23117176/ |
| Keywords |
• Cochrane • Mental health • Currency • Grey literature |
| Problem(s) |
• Weaknesses identified in some Cochrane reviews • Inconclusive or lack of recommendations • Grey literature excluded • Unpublished or "zombie" reviews (the file-drawer effect) |
| Article Type | Empirical |
| Article Subtype | Cross-sectional survey/Methodological systematic review |
| First Author Country | United States |
| Aim | To assess completion of all protocol and review entries from the three mental health review groups in the 2005–March 2012 Cochrane database. |
| Level of Investigation | Descriptive |
| Summary of Findings | 26% of Cochrane mental health protocols had not been converted to a review five or more years after publication. As a result, some review topics remain undeveloped because an author group has laid a claim to the topic in a prior protocol. Topics can become available again when entries are withdrawn, but withdrawal is a relatively rare occurrence with withdrawal rates differing among Cochrane Review Groups. 44% of included reviews determined that they had insufficient evidence to form any conclusion, even a mixed one. The reviews excluded over twice as many studies as they included, and inclusion of grey literature was infrequent. |
| Number of systematic reviews included | 552 |
| Number of eligible systematic reviews assessed | 552 |
| Treatment impacted | No |
| Treatment impacted description | |
| Interpretation impacted | Not Applicable |
| Interpretation impacted description |