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Table 7 Methods and approaches for addressing common scenarios unique to overviews

From: Toward a comprehensive evidence map of overview of systematic review methods: paper 1—purpose, eligibility, search and data extraction

  

Methods/approaches proposed in the literaturea

 

Scenario for which authors need to plan

Eligibility criteria (Table 4)

Data extraction (Table 6)

1

Reviews include overlapping information and data (e.g. arising from inclusion of the same primary studies)

1.4.2

1.5 (1.5.1–1.5.4)

1.2

2.2 (2.2.1, 2.2.2)

2

Reviews report discrepant information and dataa

1.4.2

1.6.2, 1.6.3

2.3 (2.3.1–2.3.4)

2.2.1, 2.2.2

2.4 (2.4.1–2.4.5)

3

Data are missing or reviews report varying information (e.g. information on risk of bias is missing or varies across primary studies because reviews use different tools)

1.6.2, 1.6.3

2.4 (2.4.1–2.4.5)

4

Reviews provide incomplete coverage of the overview question (e.g. missing comparisons, populations)

1.6.2, 1.6.3

1.2

2.1.2, 2.1.4

2.4

5

Reviews are not up-to-date

1.4.2

1.6.2, 1.6.3

2.1.2, 2.1.4

6

Review methods raise concerns about bias or quality

1.4.2

1.6.2, 1.6.3

1.2

  1. aThe methods/approaches could be used in combination