Lectures and seminars Seminar: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies in environmental research
The aim of a systematic review is to summarise the currently available evidence for a given research question. In addition, meta-analysis is often used to statistically combine results from multiple studies. This report provides a methodological guidance for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses in environmental epidemiology, with a particular focus on etiological research questions.
IMM presents a new report which summarises the key steps in the systematic review workflow.
- Formulating the research question using the PI/ECOTSS framework (Population, Intervention/Exposure, Comparator, Outcome, Timing, Setting, Study design)
- Developing a review protocol in accordance with PRISMA-P guidelines
- Conducting a systematic literature search using structured and reproducible strategies
- Screening and selecting studies for inclusion in the review
- Extracting data
- Assessing risk of bias in the included studies using validated tools
- Synthesizing data and performing meta-analysis, including selecting appropriate statistical models and handling heterogeneity
- Evaluating the overall strength of evidence using the GRADE approach as well as alternative frameworks
The report emphasizes the importance of methodological rigor, critical appraisal, and transparent reporting throughout the review process. It also highlights common sources of bias in observational studies and discusses their implications for evidence synthesis. Finally, the report introduces internationally recognized reporting standards (PRISMA and MOOSE) and tools for appraising the quality of systematic reviews (e.g., AMSTAR 2), providing a robust foundation for researchers aiming to produce high-quality and policy-relevant evidence in environmental health.