Abstract
BackgroundHarvest plots are used to graphically display evidence from complex and diverse studies or results. Overviews of reviews bring together evidence from two or more systematic reviews. Our objective was to determine the feasibility of using harvest plots to depict complex results of overviews of reviews.MethodsWe conducted a survey of 279 members of Cochrane Child Health to determine their preferences for graphical display of data, and their understanding of data presented in the form of harvest plots. Preferences were rated on a scale of 0–100 (100 most preferred) and tabulated using descriptive statistics. Knowledge and accuracy were assessed by tabulating the number of correctly answered questions for harvest plots and traditional data summary tables; t-tests were used to compare responses between formats.Results53 individuals from 7 countries completed the survey (19 %): 60 % were females; the majority had an MD (38 %), PhD (47 %), or equivalent. Respondents had published a median of 3 systematic reviews (inter-quartile range 1 to 8). There were few differences between harvest plots and tables in terms of being: well-suited to summarize and display results from meta-analysis (52 vs. 56); easy to understand (53 vs. 51); and, intuitive (49 vs. 44). Harvest plots were considered more aesthetically pleasing (56 vs. 44, p = 0.03). 40 % felt the harvest plots could be used in conjunction with tables to display results from meta-analyses; additionally, 45 % felt the harvest plots could be used with some improvement. There was no statistically significant difference in percentage of knowledge questions answered correctly for harvest plots compared with tables. When considering both types of data display, 21 % of knowledge questions were answered incorrectly.ConclusionsNeither harvest plots nor standard summary tables were ranked highly in terms of being easy to understand or intuitive, reflecting that neither format is ideal to summarize the results of meta-analyses in overviews of reviews. Responses to knowledge questions showed some misinterpretation of results of meta-analyses. Reviewers should ensure that messages are clearly articulated and summarized in the text to avoid misinterpretation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12874-015-0084-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Harvest plots are used to graphically display evidence from complex and diverse studies or results
Overviews are considered a friendly front-end to systematic reviews, as they provide a single source of information regarding alternative treatment options for decision-makers [5]
The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the feasibility of using harvest plots to depict complex results of overviews of reviews; 2) survey end users to determine their preferences for graphical display of data, and their understanding of data presented in the form of harvest plots; and 3) compare end users’ preferences and understanding of data displayed in the form of traditional tables alone to that of harvest plots used in conjunction with traditional tables in overviews of reviews
Summary
Harvest plots are used to graphically display evidence from complex and diverse studies or results. Systematic reviews respond to the challenge of knowledge management by identifying, appraising, and synthesizing research evidence in an accessible format [1]. Meta-analysis is used in systematic reviews to statistically combine quantitative results for the same outcome from two or more separate studies [3]. It permits the calculation of a single estimate and confidence interval of effect that integrates all the available information from the results of similar studies (e.g., all studies examining a specific intervention) [4]. Because overviews bring together multiple systematic reviews, they may contain a large volume of results and statistical measures
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