Meta-analysis for descriptive research

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Meta-analysis is increasingly adopted in nursing, but its application is not fully optimized.
• Current nursing literature predominantly focuses on meta-analysis for experimental research, neglecting descriptive studies.
• The effect size index (d) is favored over the correlation index (r), even when (r) might be more appropriate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the underutilization of meta-analysis in nursing research.
• To advocate for the expanded use of meta-analysis in synthesizing descriptive nursing research.
• To provide guidance on employing meta-analytic approaches for descriptive studies using the correlation index (r).

Main Methods:

• Review of nursing literature to assess current meta-analysis practices.
• Discussion of meta-analysis techniques applicable to both experimental and descriptive research.
• Explanation of statistical approaches for meta-analysis using the correlation index (r) with descriptive data.

Main Results:

• Nursing meta-analysis predominantly concentrates on experimental research.
• The effect size index (d) is more commonly used than the correlation index (r).
• Meta-analysis offers a valuable method for integrating descriptive nursing research.

Conclusions:

• There is a need to broaden the application of meta-analysis in nursing to include descriptive research.
• Utilizing the correlation index (r) can be more suitable for certain types of nursing studies, particularly correlational ones.
• Adopting a wider range of meta-analytic techniques can enhance the synthesis of nursing knowledge.