About this Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology article

Dynamic Meta-analysis: a Method of Using Global Evidence for Local Decision Making by Shackelford, Gorm E. (author);Martin, Philip A. (author);Hood, Amelia S. C. (author);Christie, Alec P. (author);Kulinskaya, Elena (author);Sutherland, William J. (author) is a Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology article available to read on EtoBox.

Background: Meta-analysis is often used to make generalisations across all available evidence at the global scale. But how can these global generalisations be used for evidence-based decision making at the local scale, if the global evidence is not perceived to be relevant to local decisions? We show how an interactive method of metaanalysis-dynamic meta-analysis-can be used to assess the local relevance of global evidence. Results: We developed Metadataset (www.metadataset.com) as a proof-of-concept for dynamic meta-analysis. Using Metadataset, we show how evidence can be filtered and weighted, and results can be recalculated, using dynamic methods of subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and recalibration. With an example from agroecology, we show how dynamic meta-analysis could lead to different conclusions for different subsets of the global evidence. Dynamic meta-analysis could also lead to a rebalancing of power and responsibility in evidence synthesis, since evidence users would be able to make decisions that are typically made by systematic reviewers-decisions about which studies to include (e.g. critical appraisal) and how to handle missing or poorly reported data (e.g. sens

Author

Shackelford, Gorm E. (author);Martin, Philip A. (author);Hood, Amelia S. C. (author);Christie, Alec P. (author);Kulinskaya, Elena (author);Sutherland, William J. (author)

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Published

2021

Language

EN

Field

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)