Enhanced quality and transparency of health research reporting can lead to improvements in public health policy decision-making: help from the EQUATOR Network.
Enhanced quality and transparency of health research reporting can lead to improvements in public health policy decision-making: help from the EQUATOR Network.
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DOI：
10.1590/s0102-311x2011001000001
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发表时间：
2011-10
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
G. Kac;A. Hirst
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
G. Kac;A. Hirst
科学文献中发表的证据通常用于公共卫生，以支持政策决定。各种各样的利益相关者咨询Cadernos de Saude Publica（CSP），以评估和总结研究证据，规划健康计划，设计新的干预措施，并确定特定健康结果的风险因素。因此，至关重要的是，科学文章要透明和准确地发表，以便评估研究的可靠性，供未来使用。CSP每年收到1,500多份研究手稿，其中很大一部分未能达到可接受的出版质量水平，要么是因为研究进行得不好，要么是因为报告不好，或者两者兼而有之。常见的缺陷包括缺乏对观察性研究中混杂因素的控制，缺乏系统评价中研究质量评估的信息，以及临床试验干预措施的描述不佳。由于卫生研究的业绩和报告不足而产生的偏见可能会对政策决定产生危险的误导。文献提供了大量的例子，例如错误地认为激素替代疗法可以预防心血管疾病，这是一种最终被证明受到社会经济地位混淆的统计关系（von Elm EV，Egger M. BMJ 2004; 329：868-9）。CSP发表了许多观察性研究，系统性综述，临床试验等。不幸的是，只有一小部分提交的手稿使用适当的报告指南，如加强流行病学观察性研究的报告（STROBE），系统性综述和荟萃分析的首选报告项目（PRISMA）或报告试验的统一标准（CONSORT）。遵守这些指南是提高透明度和准确性的一个很好的方法，并已被证明可以提高健康研究的可靠性和影响力（Simera et al. BMC Med 2010; 8：24）。EQUATOR网络（增强健康研究的质量和透明度）是“一项旨在提高科学出版物质量的国际倡议”。EQUATOR（http：//www.equator-network.org/）在其图书馆中汇编了一份所有可用报告准则的庞大目录，以帮助卫生研究的作者和同行评审员。它还提供教育和培训。EQUATOR与研究和出版过程中的各种关键利益相关者合作，包括期刊编辑，同行评审员和报告指南的制定者。泛美卫生组织最近与EQUATOR达成了一项正式协议，在拉丁美洲传播这一倡议。现在已经可以浏览该网络网站的西班牙文版。若干报告准则也已翻译成西班牙文。在不久的将来，CSP可能只发布遵循适当报告准则的文章。现在应该减少浪费，充分实现对卫生研究的投资，将高质量研究的结果转化为循证决策带来的健康惠益。提高卫生研究报告的质量和透明度可以改善公共卫生政策决策：EQUATOR网络的帮助
Evidence published in the scientific literature is commonly used in public health to support policy decisions. A wide variety of stakeholders consults Cadernos de Saude Publica (CSP) to assess and summarize research evidence, plan health programs, design new interventions, and identify risk factors for a particular health outcome. Thus, it is crucial that scientific articles are published transparently and accurately in order to allow evaluating the reliability of the research for future use. CSP receives more than 1,500 research manuscripts annually, and a high proportion fail to achieve acceptable quality levels for publication, either because the study was poorly conducted or reported, or both. Common flaws include lack of control of confounding in observational studies, lack of information on quality assessment for studies included in systematic reviews, and poor descriptions of clinical trial interventions. Biases due to deficiencies in the performance and reporting of health research can be dangerously misleading to policy decisions. The literature provides abundant examples, such as the erroneous belief that hormone replacement therapy protects against cardiovascular disease, a statistical relationship that was ultimately proven to be confounded by socioeconomic status (von Elm EV, Egger M. BMJ 2004; 329:868-9). CSP publishes numerous observational studies, systematic reviews, clinical trials, among others. Unfortunately, only a small portion of submitted manuscripts use appropriate reporting guidelines such as Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), or Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Compliance with these guidelines is a great way to improve transparency and accuracy and has proven to increase the reliability and impact of health research (Simera et al. BMC Med 2010; 8:24). The EQUATOR Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) is “an international initiative that seeks to improve the quality of scientific publications”. EQUATOR (http://www.equator-network.org/) has compiled a vast catalogue of all available reporting guidelines in its library to help authors and peer reviewers of health research. It also provides education and training. EQUATOR works with a variety of key stakeholders in the research and publication process including journal editors, peer reviewers and developers of reporting guidelines. The Pan-American Health Organization has recently established a formal agreement with EQUATOR to disseminate the initiative in Latin America. It is already possible to browse a Spanish version of the Network’s website. Several reporting guidelines have also been translated into Spanish. In the near future, CSP may only publish articles that follow appropriate reporting guidelines. It is time to reduce wastefulness and fully realize the investment in health research by translating findings from high quality research into health benefits derived from evidenced-based policy decisions. Enhanced quality and transparency of health research reporting can lead to improvements in public health policy decision-making: help from the EQUATOR Network