Exploratory studies to decide whether and how to proceed with full-scale evaluations of public health interventions: a systematic review of guidance.
Exploratory studies to decide whether and how to proceed with full-scale evaluations of public health interventions: a systematic review of guidance.
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DOI：
10.1186/s40814-018-0290-8
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发表时间：
2018
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Moore G
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hallingberg B;Turley R;Segrott J;Wight D;Craig P;Moore L;Murphy S;Robling M;Simpson SA;Moore G
对复杂的公共卫生干预措施的评估经常受到在有效性研究阶段之前可以发现的问题的破坏。探索性研究，通常被称为试点和可行性研究，是评估进展到有效性研究的可行性和价值的关键步骤。这类研究可以提供重要信息，以支持更有力的评估，从而降低成本并将干预的潜在危害降至最低。这一系统性审查是一个更广泛项目的第一阶段，该项目旨在解决为公共卫生研究人员设计和开展探索性研究提供独立指导的必要性。审查的目的是确定和审查关于何时应进行此类研究、应回答的问题、适当的方法、决定是否进行有效性研究的标准和适当报告的现有建议。我们通过书目数据库、网站、引文跟踪和专家推荐检索2000年1月至2016年11月期间报道的已发表和未发表的指南。收录的论文是按主题综合的。搜索检索到4095条唯一记录。收录了30篇论文，代表了25个独特的指导/建议来源。确定了八个主题：进行探索性研究的前提条件、命名、干预评估指导、围绕任何未来评价研究设计的指导、灵活设计与固定设计、未来评价研究的进展标准、利益攸关方参与和报告探索性研究。探索性研究被描述为关注干预内容、未来评估设计或两者兼而有之。然而，支持这些目标的命名和认可的方法在不同的论文中是不一致的。几乎没有关于围绕这一问题的探索性研究和决策之前或之后应该做什么的指导。现有的建议在探索性研究的目的、设计和进行方面不一致，而且缺乏必要的证据来指导何时进行有效性研究。本文的在线版本(10.1186/s40814-0180290-8)包含补充材料，可供授权用户使用。
Evaluations of complex interventions in public health are frequently undermined by problems that can be identified before the effectiveness study stage. Exploratory studies, often termed pilot and feasibility studies, are a key step in assessing the feasibility and value of progressing to an effectiveness study. Such studies can provide vital information to support more robust evaluations, thereby reducing costs and minimising potential harms of the intervention. This systematic review forms the first phase of a wider project to address the need for stand-alone guidance for public health researchers on designing and conducting exploratory studies. The review objectives were to identify and examine existing recommendations concerning when such studies should be undertaken, questions they should answer, suitable methods, criteria for deciding whether to progress to an effectiveness study and appropriate reporting. We searched for published and unpublished guidance reported between January 2000 and November 2016 via bibliographic databases, websites, citation tracking and expert recommendations. Included papers were thematically synthesized. The search retrieved 4095 unique records. Thirty papers were included, representing 25 unique sources of guidance/recommendations. Eight themes were identified: pre-requisites for conducting an exploratory study, nomenclature, guidance for intervention assessment, guidance surrounding any future evaluation study design, flexible versus fixed design, progression criteria to a future evaluation study, stakeholder involvement and reporting of exploratory studies. Exploratory studies were described as being concerned with the intervention content, the future evaluation design or both. However, the nomenclature and endorsed methods underpinning these aims were inconsistent across papers. There was little guidance on what should precede or follow an exploratory study and decision-making surrounding this. Existing recommendations are inconsistent concerning the aims, designs and conduct of exploratory studies, and guidance is lacking on the evidence needed to inform when to proceed to an effectiveness study. PROSPERO 2016, CRD42016047843 The online version of this article (10.1186/s40814-018-0290-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.