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Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
Uses and misuses of the STROBE statement: bibliographic study
Bruno R da Costa1, Myriam Cevallos, Douglas G Altman
1Institute of Social & Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
BMJ Open
|October 25, 2011
Summary
The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines are often misused in systematic reviews. Researchers should use STROBE for reporting, not for assessing study quality.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Medical Research Methodology
Background:
- Appropriate reporting of research findings is crucial for translating evidence into clinical practice.
- The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement provides a 22-item checklist for reporting cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies.
- STROBE was initially published in 2007 to aid in critical appraisal and interpretation of observational studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the historical usage of the STROBE statement.
- To identify instances where STROBE was used appropriately and inappropriately, particularly in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of the Web of Science database was conducted in August 2010 to identify articles citing STROBE.
- A random sample of 100 citing articles was analyzed using a standardized data extraction form.
- The use of STROBE was classified as appropriate (for reporting guidance) or inappropriate (e.g., for quality assessment or study design).
Main Results:
- Out of 640 articles citing STROBE, the sample included observational studies (32%), systematic reviews (19%), and other article types.
- While 81% of observational studies used STROBE appropriately for reporting, 53% of systematic reviews inappropriately used it to assess study quality.
- Three uses (10%) of STROBE in observational studies were deemed inappropriate.
Conclusions:
- The STROBE recommendations are frequently misapplied in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- A significant proportion of systematic reviews utilize STROBE as a tool for methodological quality assessment, which is an inappropriate application.
- Clarification is needed on the intended use of STROBE to prevent its misuse in evaluating observational studies.
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