Women's Decision-Making And Factors Affecting Their Choice Of ...

Table 1: Difference between Traditional and Systematic
Reviews
Feature Traditional Review Systematic Review
Question Often broad in scope Often a focused clinical
question
Sources and search Not usually specified, potentially Comprehensive sources
biased and explicit search
strategy
Selection Not usually specified, potentially Criterion-based selection,
biased uniformly applied
Appraisal Variable Rigorous critical
appraisal
Synthesis Often a qualitative summary Often a quantitative
summary, but can be
qualitative
Inferences Sometimes evidence-based Usually evidence-based
Systematic reviews answer specific, frequently narrow clinical questions
vigorously. For example, they can address various topics such as the following:
• Specific population and/or setting (Chamberlain, Melia, Moss et al 1997;
Davies 1997; McQuay and moore 1998; McQuay, Moore, Eccleston et al 1997;
Richards, Deeks, Sheldon et al 1997; Seymour, Thomason, Chalmers et al 1997;
Snowdown and Stewart-Brown 1997).
• Condition of interest (Ebrahim 1998; Johnson, Sirnnett, Sweetenham et al
1998)
• Exposure to a test or treatment (Crow, Gage, Hampson et al 1999; Faulkner,
Kennedy, Baxter et al 1998; Murray, Cuckle, Taylor et al 1997; Petiticrew, Watt,
and Sheldon 1997; Selley, Donovan, Faulkner et al 1997; Song and Glenny 1998)
• Research methods (Britton, McKee, Black et al 1998; Edwards, Lilford,
Braunhltz et al 1998; Murphy, Dingwall, Greatbatch et al 1998).
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