Meta-analysis refers to
the statistical analysis of the data from independent primary studies focused on the same question
, which aims to generate a quantitative estimate of the studied phenomenon, for example, the effectiveness of the intervention (Gopalakrishnan and Ganeshkumar, 2013).
What is a meta-analysis simple definition?
Meta-analysis is
a quantitative, formal, epidemiological study design used to systematically assess the results of previous research to derive conclusions about that body of research
. Typically, but not necessarily, the study is based on randomized, controlled clinical trials.
What is an example of meta-analysis?
For example, a systematic review will focus specifically on the relationship between
cervical cancer and long-term use of oral contraceptives
, while a narrative review may be about cervical cancer. Meta-analyses are quantitative and more rigorous than both types of reviews.
Why do we use meta-analysis?
Meta-analysis would be used for the following purposes:
To establish statistical significance with studies that have conflicting results
.
To develop a more correct estimate of effect magnitude
. To provide a more complex analysis of harms, safety data, and benefits.
What is the difference between systematic review and meta-analysis?
A systematic review
attempts to gather all available empirical research
by using clearly defined, systematic methods to obtain answers to a specific question. A meta-analysis is the statistical process of analyzing and combining results from several similar studies.
What is the process of meta-analysis?
The steps of meta analysis are similar to that of a systematic review and include
framing of a question, searching of literature, abstraction of data from individual studies
, and framing of summary estimates and examination of publication bias.
How many studies do you need for a meta-analysis?
Two studies
is a sufficient number to perform a meta-analysis, provided that those two studies can be meaningfully pooled and provided their results are sufficiently ‘similar’.
How do I choose a meta-analysis topic?
Any given meta-analysis can focus on only one metric at a time. While selecting a research question, researchers should think
about the size of the literature base and select a manageable topic
. At the same time, they should make sure the number of existing studies is large enough to warrant a meta-analysis.
What data is needed for a meta-analysis?
The two summary statistics commonly used for meta-analysis of continuous data are
the mean difference (MD) and the standardized mean difference (SMD)
. Other options are available, such as the ratio of means (see Chapter 6, Section 6.5.
What are the pros and cons of meta-analysis?
- pooled estimate of effect.
- allows for an objective appraisal of evidence.
- may reduce the probability of false negative results.
- heterogeneity between study results may be explained.
- avoids Simpson’s paradox.
What is the difference between meta-analysis and literature review?
A Literature review is the analysis of all existing literature in a field of study. … Meta Analysis, on the other hand, is
an analysis of similar scientific studies to establish an estimate closest to the common point of truth that exist between them
.
What are the disadvantages of meta-analysis?
Additionally, meta-analyses can be poorly executed.
Carelessness in abstracting and summarizing appropriate studies
, failure to consider important covariates, bias on the part of the meta-analyst and overstatements of the strength and precision of the results can all contribute to invalid meta-analyses.
What are two reasons that one might want to conduct a meta-analysis?
- To increase power. …
- To improve precision. …
- To answer questions not posed by the individual studies. …
- To settle controversies arising from apparently conflicting studies or to generate new hypotheses.
How do you know if it’s a meta-analysis?
Conduct a thorough search of the literature
.
Screen your search results against your pre-
specified selection criteria to identify included studies. Appraise the quality of studies found. Synthesise the evidence, this is where meta-analysis may or may not come in.
How do you perform a meta-analysis and a systematic review?
- Formulate the review question. …
- Define inclusion and exclusion criteria. …
- Develop search strategy and locate studies. …
- Select studies. …
- Extract data. …
- Assess study quality. …
- Analyze and interpret results. …
- Disseminate findings.
How do you know if an article is a meta-analysis?
In most Library databases, you can find meta-analysis research articles
by using meta analysis as a search term
. There are a few databases that have special limiters for publication type or methodology in the advanced searching section. … Scroll down to the section: Nursing articles, journals & books.
