Methodological components and quality of evidence summaries: a scoping review protocol.

Abstract

The objective of this review is to identify and map the available evidence related to evidence summary methodologies and indicators of quality. It can be challenging for clinicians and policy makers to keep up-to-date with current evidence and best practice. An evidence summary is a way to provide health care decision makers with the most recent, highest quality evidence available on a particular topic in an easily digestible format to facilitate evidence-based clinical decisions. However, objectively evaluating the methodological quality of these types of evidence reviews is challenging. Articles, papers, books, dissertations, reports and websites will be included if they evaluate, or describe the development or appraisal of, an evidence summary methodology. A three-step search strategy will be used to find both published and unpublished literature. The following databases will be searched: US National Library of Medicine Database (PubMed) Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and Embase. The gray literature search will include relevant government and university websites, the Health Evidence Network website, the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Evidence Network website, the McMaster Health Systems Evidence website, and relevant websites included in the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Grey Matters Handbook. Sources published in English will be considered, with no date limitation.