QUALITY OF REVIEWS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY

Authors
BRESLOW RA ROSS SA WEED DL
Citation
Ra. Breslow et al., QUALITY OF REVIEWS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY, American journal of public health, 88(3), 1998, pp. 475-477
Citations number
46
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath","Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath
Journal title
American journal of public health → ACNP
ISSN journal
00900036
Volume
88
Issue
3
Year of publication
1998
Pages
475 - 477
Database
ISI
SICI code
0090-0036(1998)88:3<475:QORIE>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
Objectives. This study examined the quality of recent reviews in epide miology.Methods. All 1995 issues of 7 widely read epidemiology journal s were searched to identify reviews. Results. Twenty-nine reviews were identified. Methodology was not specified or incomplete for literatur e searches in 79% of reviews; the same was true for inclusion criteria in 83% and for combining studies in 62%. More than 60% of the reviews were not methodologically systematic. Conclusions. There is a need to improve the quality of review papers in epidemiology. If systematic m ethodology were followed more frequently, epidemiologic science and it s application could be improved.