Assessment of publication bias and outcome reporting bias in systematic reviews of health services and delivery research: A meta-epidemiological study

Ref ID 558
First Author A. A. Ayorinde
Journal PLOS ONE
Year Of Publishing 2020
URL https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6992172/pdf/pone.0227580.pdf
Keywords • Policy
• General medical
• Publication bias
Problem(s) • Poor consideration of publication bias
• Failure to address missing outcome data in analyses
Article Type Empirical
Article Subtype Meta-epidemiological analysis
First Author Country United Kingdom
Aim To assess whether publication and outcome reporting biases are mentioned and/or otherwise assessed in Health Services and Delivery Research systematic reviews, and evaluate associating factors using multivariable logistic regression models.
Level of Investigation Analytical
Summary of Findings 43% (n = 85) of the reviews mentioned publication bias and 10% (n = 19) formally assessed it. Outcome reporting bias was mentioned and assessed in 17% (n = 34) of all the systematic reviews. Of all factors assessed, inclusion of meta-analysis was the factor most strongly associated with assessment of publication bias. Intervention reviews were about ten times as likely to include an assessment of outcome reporting bias compared to association reviews. Use of GRADE was also associated with assessment of outcome reporting bias.
Number of systematic reviews included 200
Number of eligible systematic reviews assessed 5921
Treatment impacted No
Treatment impacted description
Interpretation impacted Not Applicable
Interpretation impacted description