Learning objectives:
- Be familiar with the rationale for systematic reviews
- Understand the concept of bias
- Be familiar with different types of questions that can be posed about the effects of health care interventions
- Consider study designs which are most likely to give a valid answer to these questions
- Be aware of practical problems in finding, appraising and synthesising non-RCT evidence
elevant sections of the Reviewers’ Handbook
- Section 1.
Other relevant material
Rationale for systematic reviews by Cindy Mulrow (Mulrow CD. Rationale for systematic reviews. BMJ 1994; 309:597-9.)