Training

To register, click here

This 40-minute online training session, hosted by Evidence Synthesis Ireland and presented by Julie Glanville, will teach participants techniques for effectively searching PubMed. Julie will explain how to find and use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and will demonstrate restricting searches to specific fields, truncation for searching word variations, phrase searching for multi-word concepts, the new proximity searching feature, creating saved searches, and exporting results. The final 20 minutes will be a question and answer session where participants can ask about any other PubMed search techniques they are interested in learning. Overall, the webinar aims to equip attendees with core skills for searching the PubMed database effectively.

Julie Glanville is a qualified librarian who has worked in systematic reviews for 30 years and is currently an independent consultant focusing on information retrieval for systematic reviews.  Julie is a co-manager of SuRe Info and the ISSG Search Filter Resource. From 2008 to June 2020, Julie was Associate Director of York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) and coordinated its information and review services.  Previously, Julie was Associate Director and Information Service Manager at the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD), University of York, for fourteen years. Julie is a co-convenor of the Cochrane Information Retrieval Methods Group and a co-author of the Cochrane Handbook chapter on searching for evidence.

To register, click here

Realist synthesis occupies a misty research hinterland somewhere between systematic reviews and the much-maligned narrative review. Critics often focus on the “…and then the magic happens” approach that challenges the orthodoxy of systematic reviews. Can a realist synthesis be “systematic” without aspiring to be a systematic review? Where does realist review sit within a toolbox of review approaches that provide useful and useable answers to practitioners and policy makers? To what extent is it possible to use systematic approaches to theory generation and searching? How do you document the iterative process and “forays” into the literature that pursuit of explanations for what works for whom under what circumstances seems to require. Professor Andrew Booth, both a proponent and a critic of realist approaches will present a lively debate on what realist synthesis has to offer, what alternatives are available, and why, for certain researchers under certain circumstances they may actually be worth conducting!

Andrew Booth is Professor in Evidence Synthesis, Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR) – University of Sheffield and adjunct Professor – University of Limerick. He is co-convenor of the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group, a GRADE-CERQual core team member and a research associate of Evidence Synthesis Ireland/Cochrane Ireland. Andrew obtained his PhD from the University of Sheffield and has an MSc and Diploma in Librarianship (Distinction) from University of Wales, following a BA (First Class Hons). Andrew is a prolific trainer in qualitative and rapid reviews. As co-director of three evidence synthesis centres for UK National Institute for Health and Care Research he has conducted numerous realist syntheses focusing on searching for theory and for underpinning evidence. He is currently authoring the Realist Synthesis chapter for the Cochrane-Campbell Handbook of Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. In 2020 he collaborated with Evidence Synthesis Ireland to support the first Cochrane Rapid Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. His co-authored text Systematic Approaches for a Successful Literature Review is in its 3rd edition.

Aim

Our mission is to make evidence syntheses more usable in every sense of the word – better designed, conducted and reported, more useable for decision makers and more usable within health care policy and clinical practice decision making across the Island of Ireland and beyond.

Learning outcomes

Join us in this virtual meeting to:

• Meet colleagues in the evidence synthesis community from across Northern Ireland
• Hear about Evidence Synthesis Ireland’s training
• Learn about the latest call for Fellowships
• Get top tips on applying for Fellowships
• Let us know your training needs

Zoom link will be sent out through email in the days before the event

Background:

This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.

Aim:

The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.

Objective:

The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.

Workshop 1:  will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.

Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.

Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse  qualitative data and present the findings

Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.

Learning outcomes:

The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:

• develop an understanding of the principles of QES and its importance in research
• define a research question suitable for QES
• explore methods for systematically searching and selecting relevant qualitative studies
• develop the skills to assess the quality of qualitative research studies
• gain proficiency in data extraction and methods of qualitative data synthesis
• learn how to conduct an assessment of confidence in the findings of a QES
• explore strategies for presenting and reporting the findings of a QES

Teaching strategies:

The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Overall fee: General €120; Student €60

Skill level: Introductory

Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick

Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

This workshop will be held over four mornings and provides authors, at the beginning of the systematic review process, with an in-depth understanding of how reviews are planned and conducted. It offers an insight to the development of a protocol, introducing participants to methodology, search methods, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis.

Date: 29th & 30th January, 8th & 9th February 2024

Time: 10.00 am – 1.00/1:30 pm

Places: 30 available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Fee: General €150; Student €80

Skill level: Introductory

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows who have identified a review topic and are ready to begin working on their protocol.

Prerequisites: A basic knowledge of health research. Interested in learning more on the methods of a systematic review.

Teaching strategies: The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations, led by members of the Cochrane Ireland & ESI teaching faculty covering each of the stages of developing a systematic review protocol, small group activities and plenary discussions, providing participants with the opportunity to develop and refine their protocol. This course will include blended learning with two months free access to Cochrane Interactive Learning self-directed modules, a number of which will be required study prior to the workshop.

Facilitators

Prof. Declan Devane, Director of Evidence Synthesis Ireland & Cochrane Ireland, Professor of Health Research Methodology, University of Galway

Dr Julie Broderick, Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin

Ciara Gleeson, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Respiratory Assessment Unit, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

This workshop will be held over four mornings and provides authors, at the beginning of the systematic review process, with an in-depth understanding of how reviews are planned and conducted. It offers an insight to the development of a protocol, introducing participants to methodology, search methods, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis.

Date: 29th & 30th January, 8th & 9th February 2024

Time: 10.00 am – 1.00/1:30 pm

Places: 30 available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Fee: General €150; Student €80

Skill level: Introductory

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows who have identified a review topic and are ready to begin working on their protocol.

Prerequisites: A basic knowledge of health research. Interested in learning more on the methods of a systematic review.

Teaching strategies: The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations, led by members of the Cochrane Ireland & ESI teaching faculty covering each of the stages of developing a systematic review protocol, small group activities and plenary discussions, providing participants with the opportunity to develop and refine their protocol. This course will include blended learning with two months free access to Cochrane Interactive Learning self-directed modules, a number of which will be required study prior to the workshop.

Facilitators

Prof. Declan Devane, Director of Evidence Synthesis Ireland & Cochrane Ireland, Professor of Health Research Methodology, University of Galway

Dr Julie Broderick, Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin

Ciara Gleeson, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Respiratory Assessment Unit, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

Background:

This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.

Aim:

The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.

Objective:

The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.

Workshop 1:  will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.

Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.

Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse  qualitative data and present the findings

Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.

Learning outcomes:

The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:

• develop an understanding of the principles of QES and its importance in research
• define a research question suitable for QES
• explore methods for systematically searching and selecting relevant qualitative studies
• develop the skills to assess the quality of qualitative research studies
• gain proficiency in data extraction and methods of qualitative data synthesis
• learn how to conduct an assessment of confidence in the findings of a QES
• explore strategies for presenting and reporting the findings of a QES

Teaching strategies:

The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Overall fee: General €120; Student €60

Skill level: Introductory

Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick

Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

To register, click here

In this webinar we will introduce the Cochrane Qualitative Methodological limitations Tool (CAMELOT). We will discuss how it was developed and go through a short example of how it can be applied.

Heather Menzies Munthe-Kaas, Dr.Philos, is a researcher at Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. She is co-founder of the GRADE-CERQual approach and the TRANSFER approach. She has been conducting systematic reviews of effectiveness and qualitative evidence syntheses for more than ten years. Her research interests focus on using user-centred design approaches to develop methods and tools to improve the usefulness, relevance and usability of systematic review findings and improve public participation and stakeholder representation in evidence-informed decision-making processes.

Background:

As evidence synthesis research questions become more complex, different types of evidence needs to be incorporated into systematic reviews to answer such questions. ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions) is a tool for critically appraising non-randomised study designs assessing the efficacy of interventions. This tool is becoming more commonly used in Cochrane reviews.

Aim:

To give the participants a basic understanding of the fundamentals of ROBINS-I and how to apply it in the conduct of a systematic review.

Learning outcomes:

In this course participants will be enabled to:

• Understand the language and terminology used in ROBINS-I
• Apply ROBINS-I to a specific study
• Report the planning and results of ROBINS-I in the write up of a systematic review

Places: 20 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Fee: General €50; Student €25

Skill level: Intermediate

Prerequisites: Knowledge of study designs, evidence synthesis methods and Cochrane reviews

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Leslie Choi, Evidence Synthesis Development Editor, Cochrane Central Executive Team

Dr Kerry Dwan, Senior Lecturer in Evidence Synthesis, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Course content

Recommended pre-reads 

10:00 – 10:30: Planning of ROBINS-I and overview of domains

10:30 – 10:40: Reporting guidance of ROBINS-I in the planning stage for a protocol of a Cochrane review

10:40 – 11:25: Exercise – Applying ROBINS-I to a study included in existing Cochrane review

11:25 – 11:40: Exercise feedback

11:40 – 11:55: Reporting results in review

11:55 – 12:00: Q&A + roundup

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

Background:

Rapid reviews are a time-sensitive and efficient approach to evidence synthesis used in healthcare decision-making. As the demand for timely and reliable evidence increases, traditional systematic reviews may not always be feasible due to their resource-intensive and lengthy nature. Although rapid reviews may not offer the same level of comprehensiveness as systematic reviews, they provide valuable insights to inform decision-makers in time-critical situations, offering a balanced approach between timeliness and quality of evidence. As the demand for rapid and relevant evidence continues to grow, the adoption of rapid reviews has become increasingly prevalent in healthcare research and policy domains.

Understanding how to conduct rapid reviews following best practices is essential for ensuring the reliability and relevance of the evidence synthesized. The Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group has been a pioneering force in the development of rigorous rapid review methodologies. They aim to disseminate their guidance and expertise to researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers interested in utilizing evidence-informed rapid review methods. By adhering to these robust practices, stakeholders can efficiently produce evidence that is timely, trustworthy, and aligned with the needs of healthcare decision-making. Embracing this evidence synthesis approach will contribute to more informed and evidence-based decision-making in urgent and time-sensitive healthcare contexts, ultimately improving patient care and health outcomes.

Aim:

To provide an introduction to rapid review methods for interventions of effectiveness following the updated Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Guidance.

Objectives:

To equip participants with the knowledge to conduct efficient and high-quality rapid reviews. Based on updated guidance developed by the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group, participants will learn various strategies to accelerate evidence synthesis, optimize team composition, and tips for present findings in a concise and impactful manner to decision-makers.

Learning outcomes:

Upon completing this course, participants will gain the following skills:

• Ability to gasp the fundamental concept of rapid reviews and their critical role in healthcare decision-making processes.
• Ability to identify scenarios where rapid reviews are appropriate and understand the significance of involving Knowledge Users (KUs) in the rapid review process.
• Knowledge of what is involved in developing efficient and tailored literature search strategies specifically crafted for rapid reviews.
• Learning how to build effective teams for rapid reviews and insight into recommended techniques to streamline essential processes, including study selection, risk of bias assessment, data extraction, and evidence synthesis phases.
• Understanding recommended best practices, such as the significance of reporting guidance, for optimizing the effectiveness of rapid reviews.

These learning outcomes will help participants develop a comprehensive understanding of rapid reviews and equip them with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to conduct them effectively in the healthcare decision-making context.

Teaching Strategies:

The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations and practical exercises/ breakout group discussions.

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Fee: General €50; Student €25

Skill level: Introductory

Prerequisites: Some experience with systematic reviews

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Dr Chantelle Garritty, Co-Convener Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group; Manager, Global Health and Guidelines Division, Public Health Agency of Canada; Adjunct Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Cochrane Central Executive Team

Dr Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Co-Director Cochrane Austria, University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria; Co-Convenor Rapid Reviews Methods Group

Dr Candyce Hamel, Senior Epidemiologist, Canadian Association of Radiologists

Dr Ursula Griebler, Senior research associate at the Department for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria; Associate Convenor Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group

Irma Klerings, Information Specialist at the Department for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation and Cochrane Austria, both at University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria; Co-convenor of the Cochrane Information Specialists’ Executive

Course content

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

To register, click here

This webinar will present an overview of the living systematic review of the problems with systematic reviews (www.systematicreviewlution.com) including its aim, methods and findings. Recent observations about the current update to the review will also be discussed. The underlying reasons that are likely contributing to the problems identified will be discussed as well potential solutions and recommendations.

Reference : Uttley, L., Quintana, D. S., Montgomery, P., Carroll, C., Page, M. J., Falzon, L., … & Moher, D. (2023). The problems with systematic reviews: a living systematic review. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

Dr Lesley Uttley is Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, working in the field of meta-meta-meta research methodology. Following an educational background in Psychology and 10+ years working as a systematic reviewer, Lesley was awarded a fellowship to investigate the reliability and validity of published systematic reviews by the UK Medical Research Council in 2019. The research aims to scrutinise and uphold systematic reviews and also to consider how human influences and research culture impact seemingly objective research projects.

Background:

This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.

Aim:

The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.

Objective:

The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.

Workshop 1:  will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.

Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.

Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse  qualitative data and present the findings

Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.

Learning outcomes:

The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:

• develop an understanding of the principles of QES and its importance in research
• define a research question suitable for QES
• explore methods for systematically searching and selecting relevant qualitative studies
• develop the skills to assess the quality of qualitative research studies
• gain proficiency in data extraction and methods of qualitative data synthesis
• learn how to conduct an assessment of confidence in the findings of a QES
• explore strategies for presenting and reporting the findings of a QES

Teaching strategies:

The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Overall fee: General €120; Student €60

Skill level: Introductory

Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick

Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

Date: 12th April 2024

Time: 12:45 – 15:45

Location: Lecture Theatres, Medical & Dental Education & Training (MedEdWest) Altnagelvin Hospital

Fee: Free

Skill Level: Introductory

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about systematic reviews and other evidence syntheses

Background:

Health care policy and practice decisions should be based on a synthesis of the global body of evidence rather than relying on individual studies. High quality, relevant systematic reviews and other synthesised research evidence are fundamental to evidence-based healthcare policy and practice.

Aim:

This workshop introduces systematic reviews and describes why they are an important source of evidence. The focus of the workshop will be on outlining the process of designing a systematic review and the steps in conducting a systematic review.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Understand what systematic reviews are and why they are important

• Be able to identify the elements of a well-defined question for a systematic review

• Understand the steps of a systematic review

Teaching Strategies:

The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations and question and answer sessions.

Facilitators: 

Prof. Bronagh Blackwood

Chair in Critical Care and NI lead for Evidence Synthesis Ireland

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine

Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Jennifer McGaughey

Affiliate to ESI

This workshop will lead attendees through the complete process of guideline development with GRADE using a concrete example, starting with the selection of a relevant PICO question and ending with the formulation of a recommendation. The GRADEpro GDT software is used for this purpose. The thematic focus is on assessing the certainty of the underlying evidence as well as the strength of the recommendation. In lectures, we introduce GRADE and explain its use with examples.

Attendees will be enabled to:

• understand the basic principles of the GRADE approach and be able to comprehend the individual steps in the assessment of the evidence and their impact on the strength of the recommendation
• be able to create an evidence profile for a therapeutic intervention based on a systematic review
• have a basic understanding of the GRADE Software

Dates: 18th & 19th April

Time: 10:00 – 16:00

Places: 25 available for individuals who are resident in Ireland & Northern Ireland

Location: University of Galway

Prices: General €250; Student €140

Prerequisites: Knowledge in conducting and/or using systematic reviews as well as the basic principles of evidence-based healthcare, and the critical appraisal of research studies, especially RCTs

Skill Level: Introductory

Target Audience: Systematic review authors, guideline developers, health and social care professionals, academics, researchers, postgraduate students, decision makers, Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellows and other professionals

Facilitators:

Dr Nuala Livingstone (Senior Quality Assurance Editor, Cochrane Editorial and Methods Department)

Dr K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman (Senior Methodologist, Evidence Synthesis Ireland)

Philipp Kapp (Researcher, Institute for Evidence in Medicine, University of Freiburg)

Background:

This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.

Aim:

The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.

Objective:

The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.

Workshop 1:  will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.

Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.

Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse  qualitative data and present the findings

Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.

Learning outcomes:

The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:

• develop an understanding of the principles of QES and its importance in research
• define a research question suitable for QES
• explore methods for systematically searching and selecting relevant qualitative studies
• develop the skills to assess the quality of qualitative research studies
• gain proficiency in data extraction and methods of qualitative data synthesis
• learn how to conduct an assessment of confidence in the findings of a QES
• explore strategies for presenting and reporting the findings of a QES

Teaching strategies:

The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Overall fee: General €120; Student €60

Skill level: Introductory

Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods

Target Audience:

Facilitators

Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick

Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

Background:

As for any healthcare intervention, medical tests require thorough evaluation. Identifying the accuracy of a test is a key step in the evaluation process. Understanding other ways in which tests affect the clinical management of patients is also important – a new test may be more acceptable to patients,  easier to administer, or provide a faster diagnosis or treatment.

The accuracy of a test is a measure of how well it differentiates those with a disease or condition from those who do not. Different, sometimes complex, study designs can be used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Measures of accuracy are also not fixed properties of a test and may not be transferable across different populations and settings. A systematic review aims to provide an overview of currently available evidence about a test’s diagnostic accuracy. A basic understanding of study designs, potential sources of bias, and factors that might affect the applicability of a study’s findings, are essential to ensure that the included studies answer a relevant review question.

Aim

To provide an introduction to systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy.

Objectives:

The objective of this workshop is to provide an understanding of study designs to evaluate the accuracy of a test and the essential components of a systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy.

Learning outcomes

In this course participants will be enabled to:

• describe the key differences between systematic reviews of interventions and systematic reviews of test accuracy,
• be aware of study designs used to estimate and compare the accuracy of tests,
• be aware of the sources of bias and variation that occur in test accuracy studies,
• be aware of the approaches used for meta-analysis of test accuracy and interpretation of meta-analytic estimates.

The workshop does not cover how to conduct a meta-analysis of test accuracy studies.

Date: 29th April 2024

Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 pm

Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland

Fee: General €50; Student €25

Skill level: Introductory

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about DTA reviews

Facilitator

Jac Dinnes, PhD

Senior Research Fellow in Test Evaluation

Test and Prediction group, Institute of Applied Research,

University of Birmingham UK

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie

To register, click here

Integrating the findings of a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) with the findings of a review of intervention effects can offer many insights including potential reasons for variation in intervention outcomes. QES often generate theories and explanations for why and how interventions work from the perspectives of those delivering or using them; by integrating these theories with evidence on intervention effects, review teams can offer vital information to support implementation of review findings in practice settings. However guidance on the difficult task of integrating the different evidence types is limited and there are few worked examples of methods for integration. In this webinar Katy will illustrate a wide range of different options for integrating QES and intervention evidence, drawing on real integration examples. Through these examples Katy will illustrate the diversity of integration methods and tools and critically examine their strengths and limitations.

Dr Katy Sutcliffe is an Associate Professor at the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordination Centre (EPPI Centre), Institute of Education, University College London. She is the Deputy Director of the London-York NIHR Policy Reviews Facility which produces research syntheses to support the Department of Health and Social Care’s policy decisions. Katy specialises in developing systematic review methods for producing policy-relevant evidence, in particular qualitative and mixed-methods evidence syntheses and approaches for identifying the key ingredients and underlying mechanisms of interventions.

Background

One of the key features of all evidence synthesis is to conduct a systematic search. Systematic literature searching requires that we plan and run searches in a way that ensures clarity, validity and reliability. Documenting the searching process is vital to ensure transparency and reproducibility.

Aim

This workshop provides attendees with the knowledge and skills to conduct a basic systematic search of the literature including designing and running searches on key databases and identifying and selecting search filters.

Learning outcomes

In this course, participants will be enabled to:

• Design a basic systematic search strategy
• Identify and use study-design search filters
• Report the search methods

Dates: 21st June 2024

Time: 09:00 – 16:00

Location: Durkan Theatre, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St James’s Hospital, Dublin 8

Places: 30 available for individuals who are resident in Ireland & Northern Ireland

Skill Level: Introductory

Target Audience

Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about systematic searching.

Teaching Strategies

The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations and small group activities with practical exercises. Please bring along your laptop for the exercises. Questions and discussion are encouraged. A short reading list/activity list will be sent to enrolled attendees in advance of the session.

Facilitator

Julie Glanville, an independent consultant and trainer in information retrieval. Julie has worked in systematic reviews for more than 25 years as Associate Director of York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) (2008-2019) and Associate Director at the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD), University of York (1994 – 2008). Julie was a co-convenor of the Cochrane Information Retrieval Methods Group and is a co-author of the Cochrane Handbook chapter on searching for evidence and the 2020 PRISMA guidance.

*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@nuigalway.ie