Methodological components, structure, and quality assessment tools for evidence summaries: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Information Science

Background:

• Evidence summaries address barriers in evidence-based healthcare, such as point-of-care access and appraisal expertise.
• Lack of transparency and inconsistent methodologies in evidence summary development pose challenges for end-users like clinicians and policymakers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and map available information on the definition, structure, and core methodological components of evidence summaries.
• To identify indicators of quality for evidence summaries used in point-of-care settings.

Main Methods:

• Systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL, updated through January 2023.
• Inclusion of English-language resources describing the development or appraisal of evidence summaries for point-of-care use.
• Exclusion of literature reviews not specifically targeting point-of-care application.

Main Results:

• A total of 76 resources were included, with 'critically appraised topic' and 'evidence summary' being the most common types.
• Definitions commonly included a clinical question, systematic search, literature selection description, and evidence appraisal.
• Methodological components frequently reported were systematic, multi-database searches and critical appraisal; summaries often included narrative formats with recommendations.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in the definition, language, methodology, and structure of point-of-care evidence summaries.
• This scoping review is a foundational step towards enhancing the credibility and transparency of evidence summaries.
• Further research is needed to standardize definitions and methodologies for point-of-care resources and quality assessment tools.