Catherine Boden

Validation of administrative health data for the pediatric population: a scoping review.

BackgroundThe purpose of this research was to perform a scoping review of published literature on the validity of administrative health data for ascertaining health conditions in the pediatric population (≤20 years).MethodsA comprehensive search of OVID Medline (1946 - present), CINAHL (1937 - present) and EMBASE (1947 - present) was conducted. Characteristics of validation studies that were abstracted included the study population, health condition, topic of the validation (e.g., single diagnosis code versus case-finding algorithm), administrative and validation data sources. Inter-rater agreement was measured using Cohen’s κ. Extracted data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsA total of 37 articles met the study inclusion criteria. Cohen’s κ for study inclusion/exclusion and data abstraction was 0.88 and 0.97, respectively. Most studies validated administrative data from the USA (43.2%) and Canada (24.3%), and focused on inpatient records (67.6%). Case-finding algorithms (56.7%) were more frequently validated than diagnoses codes alone (37.8%). Five conditions were validated in more than one study: diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rotavirus infection, and tuberculosis.ConclusionsThis scoping review identified a number of gaps in the validation of administrative health data for pediatric populations, including limited investigation of outpatient populations and older pediatric age groups.

Enhancing gifts‐in‐kind assessment and processing with digital photography

Purpose – This paper sets out to explore the potential benefits of using digital photography in the evaluation of prospective donations of book collections.Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes a methodology for creating a collection of images to preserve bibliographic information from large book donations where time and distance restrictions limit the ability to carry out a thorough investigation on‐site. This image collection will assist in the initial assessment of the collections suitability for acceptance, documentation and creation of a gift list.Findings – Using digital photography allows for relatively quick and comprehensive documentation to aid in the evaluation of large potential gift‐in‐kind donations. Additional benefits realized from acquiring digital images may include automation of gift list creation, publicity for the newly acquired collection, and enhancing exhibitions. This methodology utilizes readily available and affordable equipment that will likely be well within the r...

Equity in Whom Gets Studied: A Systematic Review Examining Geographical Region, Gender, Commodity, and Employment Context in Research of Low Back Disorders in Farmers

ABSTRACT Farmers are at high risk of having low back disorders (LBDs). Agriculture employs half the global workforce, but it is unclear whether all farming populations are represented equitably in the LBD literature. This systematic review quantifies the number and quality of research studies by geographical region, agricultural commodity, and farmer characteristics. MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched using conceptual groups of search terms: “farming” and “LBD.” Screening and extraction were performed by two researchers in parallel, then reconciled through discussion. Extracted study characteristics included location of study; commodity produced; worker sex, ethnicity, and migration status; type of employment; and study quality. These were compared with agricultural employment statistics from the International Labour Organization and World Bank. From 125 articles, roughly half (67) did not specify the employment context of the participants in terms of migration status or subsistence versus commercial farming. Although in many regions worldwide women make up the bulk of the workforce, only a minority of low back disorder studies focus on women. Despite the predominance of the agricultural workforce in developing nations, 91% of included studies were conducted in developed nations. There was no significant difference in study quality by geographic region. The nature of the world’s agricultural workforce is poorly represented by the literature when it comes to LBD research. If developing nations, female sex, and migrant work are related to increased vulnerability, then these groups need more representation to achieve equitable occupational health study.

Gaps exist in the current guidance on the use of randomized controlled trial study protocols in systematic reviews

OBJECTIVES The use of trial registry records and randomized controlled trial (RCT) study protocols can assist systematic reviewers in evaluating and, possibly, minimizing publication and selective reporting biases. This study examined current guidance on the use of registry records and RCT study protocols from key systematic review organizations, institutes, and collaborations. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING Handbooks, guidelines, and standard documents from key systematic review organizations and the EQUATOR network database were identified. Textual excerpts providing guidance on the use of trial registry records, RCT protocols, and ongoing/unpublished studies were extracted independently by two reviewers and coded into a systematic review framework. RESULTS Eleven documents published in English between 2009 and 2016 were included. Guidance for using RCT protocols and trial registry records was provided for 7 of 16 framework categories, and guidance for using unpublished and ongoing studies was available for 8 of 16 categories. CONCLUSION This study identified gaps and ambiguities in language in guidance on the use of RCT protocols and trial registry records. To encourage and assist reviewers to use trial registry records and RCT study protocols in systematic reviews, current guidance should be expanded and clarified.

Learning while doing: program evaluation of the Medical Library Association Systematic Review Project

Objectives The Medical Library Association (MLA) Systematic Review Project aims to conduct systematic reviews to identify the state of knowledge and research gaps for fifteen top-ranked questions in the profession. In 2013, fifteen volunteer-driven teams were recruited to conduct the systematic reviews. The authors investigated the experiences of participants in this large-scale, volunteer-driven approach to answering priority research questions and fostering professional growth among health sciences librarians. Methods A program evaluation was conducted by inviting MLA Systematic Review Project team members to complete an eleven-item online survey. Multiple-choice and short-answer questions elicited experiences about outputs, successes and challenges, lessons learned, and future directions. Participants were recruited by email, and responses were collected over a two-week period beginning at the end of January 2016. Results Eighty (8 team leaders, 72 team members) of 198 potential respondents completed the survey. Eighty-four percent of respondents indicated that the MLA Systematic Review Project should be repeated in the future and were interested in participating in another systematic review. Team outputs included journal articles, conference presentations or posters, and sharing via social media. Thematic analysis of the short-answer questions yielded five broad themes: learning and experience, interpersonal (networking), teamwork, outcomes, and barriers. Discussion A large-scale, volunteer-driven approach to performing systematic reviews shows promise as a model for answering key questions in the profession and demonstrates the value of experiential learning for acquiring synthesis review skills and knowledge. Our project evaluation provides recommendations to optimize this approach.

Review of Factors Influencing Women’s Choice of Mastectomy Versus Breast Conserving Therapy in Early Stage Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

&NA; We have performed a narrative synthesis. A literature search was conducted between January 2000 and June 2014 in 7 databases. The initial search identified 2717 articles; 319 underwent abstract screening, 67 underwent full‐text screening, and 25 final articles were included. This review looked at early stage breast cancer in women only, excluding ductal carcinoma in situ and advanced breast cancer. A conceptual framework was created to organize the central constructs underlying womens choices: clinicopathologic factors, physician factors, and individual factors with subgroups of sociodemographic, geographic, and personal beliefs and preferences. This framework guided our reviews synthesis and analysis. We found that larger tumor size and increasing stage was associated with increased rates of mastectomy. The results for age varied, but suggested that old and young extremes of diagnostic age were associated with an increased likelihood of mastectomy. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with higher breast conservation therapy (BCT) rates. Resident rural location and increasing distance from radiation treatment facilities were associated with lower rates of BCT. Individual belief factors influencing womens choice of mastectomy (mastectomy being reassuring, avoiding radiation, an expedient treatment) differed from factors influencing choice of BCT (body image and femininity, physician recommendation, survival equivalence, less surgery). Surgeon factors, including female gender, higher case numbers, and individual surgeon practice, were associated with increased BCT rates. The decision‐making process for women with early stage breast cancer is complicated and affected by multiple factors. Organizing these factors into central constructs of clinicopathologic, individual, and physician factors may aid health‐care professionals to better understand this process.

Measurement properties of instruments assessing permanent functional impairment of the spine: a systematic review protocol

Introduction Permanent functional impairment (PFI) of the spine is a rating system used by compensation authorities, such as workers compensation boards, to establish an appropriate level of financial compensation for persistent loss of function. Determination of PFI of the spine is commonly based on the assessment of spinal movement combined with other measures of physical and functional impairments; however, the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments used for these evaluations have yet to be established. The aim of this study is to systematically review and synthesise the literature concerning measurement properties of the various and different instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Methods Three conceptual groups of terms (1) PFI, (2) spinal disorder and (3) measurement properties will be combined to search Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, OTSeeker and Health and Safety Science Abstracts. We will examine peer-reviewed, full-text articles over the full available date range. Two reviewers will independently screen citations (title, abstract and full text) and perform data extraction. Included studies will be appraised as to their methodological quality using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments criteria. Findings will be summarised and presented descriptively, with meta-analysis pursued as appropriate. Ethics and dissemination This review will summarise the current level of evidence of measurement properties of instruments used for assessing PFI of the spine. Findings of this review may be applicable to clinicians, policy-makers, workers’ compensation boards, other insurers and health and safety organisations. The findings will likely provide a foundation and direction for future research priorities for assessing spinal PFI. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017060390.

Association between whole body vibration and low back disorders in farmers: a scoping review

ABSTRACT Introduction: Low-back disorders (LBDs) are the most common musculoskeletal problem among farmers, with higher prevalence rates than in other occupations. Farmers who operate tractors and other types of machinery can have substantial exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV). Although there appears to be an association between LBDs and WBV, the causal relationship is not clear. Objective: This scoping review investigates the association between WBV and LBDs specifically among farmers. Methods: Nine databases were searched using groups of terms for two concepts: ‘farming’ and ‘low back disorder’. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two reviewers independently. Included studies met the following criteria: focused on adult farmers/agricultural workers; assessed exposure to operating farm machinery such tractor, combine, or all-terrain vehicle; assessed LBDs as an outcome; and reported an inferential test to assess the relationship between WBV and LBD. Results: After 276 full texts screened, 11 articles were found to analyze WBV as a risk factor for LBDs. Three were case–control, five cross-sectional, and three retrospective cohorts. Four studies showed no association between WBV and LBDs, four a positive association, and three results were mixed depending on the exposure/outcome measure. Conclusion: A firm conclusion is difficult due to heterogeneity in, LBDs definition, type of farm commodity, study design, and statistical strategy. Direct comparisons and synthesis were not possible. Although retrospective cohort studies tended to show a relationship, future studies with a prospective cohort design could help clarify this association further.