Table 1. Description of overviews published in the health care literature and in Evidence-based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal (n and % reported unless otherwise indicated).
| Health Care Literature, N = 51 | Evidence-based Child Health, N = 24 | Total, N = 75 | |
| Interventions Included | |||
| Pharmacological only | 14 (27.5) | 6 (25.0) | 20 (26.7) |
| Non-pharmacological only | 22 (43.1) | 3 (12.5) | 25 (33.3) |
| Both | 15 (29.4) | 15 (62.5) | 30 (40.0) |
| Objectives Clearly Stated | 51 (100) | 23 (95.8) | 74 (98.7) |
| Inclusion Criteria Clearly Stated | 42 (82.4) | 23 (95.8) | 65 (86.7) |
| Comprehensive Search Strategy | |||
| ≥2 Databases | 32 (62.7) | 1 (4.2) | 33 (44.0) |
| Years and databases reported | 37 (72.5) | 9 (37.5) | 46 (61.3) |
| Search strategy/Key words | 35 (68.6) | 23 (95.8) | 58 (77.3) |
| Search Restrictions | |||
| Restricted to Cochrane only | 16 (31.4) | 23 (95.8) | 39 (52.0) |
| Restricted by year | 16 (31.4) | 1 (4.2) | 17 (22.7) |
| Restricted to published literature | 11 (21.6) | 21 (87.5) | 32 (42.7) |
| Selection Methods | |||
| Reported | 27 (52.9) | 10 (41.7) | 37 (49.3) |
| 2 authors | 23 (45.1) | 6 (25.0) | 29 (38.7) |
| 1 author | n/a | 3 (12.5) | 3 (4.0) |
| Other | 4 (7.8) | 1* (4.2) | 5 (6.7) |
| Number Included | |||
| Systematic reviews, median (range) | 8 (0–153) | 5 (2–11) | 6 (0–153) |
| Primary studies, median (range) | 78 (0–2,062) | 35 (4–230) | 56 (0–2,062) |
| Study participants, range | 411 to>300,000 | 618 to 18,581 | 411 to>300,000 |
| Characteristics of Included SRs | |||
| SRs of RCTs only | 20 (39.2) | 12 (50.0) | 32 (42.7) |
| List of SRs provided | 44 (86.3) | 24 (100) | 68 (90.7) |
| List of excluded studies | 11 (21.6) | 9 (37.5) | 20 (26.7) |
| Data Extraction Methods | |||
| Reported | 26 (51.0) | 19 (79.2) | 45 (60.0) |
| 2 authors | 21 (41.2) | 12 (50.0) | 33 (44.0) |
| 1 author | 1 (2.0) | 4 (16.7) | 5 (6.7) |
| Other methods | 4 (7.8) | 3 (12.5) | 7 (9.3) |
| Quality and Risk of Bias Assessments of Individual studies | |||
| Extracted from original SRs | 9 (17.6) | 18 (75.0) | 27 (36.0) |
| -methods reported | 6 (11.8) | 2 (8.3) | 8 (10.7) |
| -double independent assessment | – | 2 (8.3) | 2 (2.7) |
| Performed by overview authors | 0 (0.0) | 2 (8.3) | 2 (2.7) |
| -methods reported | – | 1 (4.2) | 1 (1.3) |
| -double independent assessment | – | 1 (4.2) | 1 (1.3) |
| Quality Assessment of Systematic Reviews | |||
| Assessed by overview authors | 26 (51.0) | 2 (8.3) | 28 (37.3) |
| Reported use of specific tools | 26 (51.0) | 2 (8.3) | 28 (37.3) |
| -Oxman and Guyatt | 8 (15.7) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (10.7) |
| -AMSTAR | 6 (11.8) | 1 (4.2) | 7 (9.3) |
| -QUOROM | 3 (5.9) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (4.0) |
| Methods reported | 21 (41.2) | 2 (8.3) | 23 (30.7) |
| -double independent assessment | 19 (37.3) | 2 (8.3) | 21 (28.0) |
| Grading of Evidence | |||
| Extracted from SRs | 1 (2.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) |
| Performed by overview authors | 9 (17.6) | 4 (16.7) | 13 (17.3) |
| Reported use of specific tool (all used GRADE) | 8 (15.7) | 4 (16.7) | 12 (16.0) |
| Methods | |||
| -not reported | 2 (3.9) | 2 (8.3) | 4 (5.3) |
| -double independent assessment | 5 (9.8) | 1 (4.2) | 6 (8.0) |
| -single independent assessment | 2 (3.9) | 1 (4.2) | 3 (4.0) |
| Synthesis | |||
| Included characteristics on participants, interventions and outcomes | 37 (72.5) | 22 (91.7) | 59 (78.7) |
| Analysis | |||
| Quantitative analysis across SRs | 2 (3.9) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (2.7) |
| Publication Bias | |||
| Discussed | 14 (27.5) | 4 (16.7) | 18 (24.0) |
| Source of Funding | |||
| Reported | 26 (51.0) | 4 (16.7) | 30 (40.0) |
| -industry (n and % of those reporting funding) | 4 (13.3) | 2 (40.0) | 6 (20.0) |
| -government (n and % of those reporting funding) | 15 (50.0) | 2 (40.0) | 17 (22.7) |
| -institutional (n and % of those reporting funding) | 3 (10.0) | 1 (20.0) | 4 (13.3) |
| -internal (n and % of those reporting funding) | 2 (6.7) | 0 | 2 (6.7) |
| -other (n and % of those reporting funding) | 1 (3.3) | 0 | 1 (3.3) |
| -no funding (n and % of those reporting funding) | 5 (16.7) | 0 | 5 (16.7) |
*
All authors in consultation with relevant Cochrane Review Group.