Definition of Umbrella Reviews
An umbrella review is is essentially a review of reviews, aiming to summarize and compare the results of multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses within a specific field. This type of review seeks to gather and analyze precise scientific data from multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive picture of a particular subject.
Applications of Umbrella Reviews:
Currently, most umbrella reviews focus on interventional topics and risk factors (or protective factors) for various diseases. However, these reviews can also be designed and conducted in areas such as prevalence studies, diagnostic studies, prognostic studies, etc.
A clear difference between umbrella reviews and classical systematic reviews and meta-analyses is that the review question in umbrella reviews is much broader than in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. For example, in a classical systematic review and meta-analysis on psychological interventions in type 2 diabetes, the review question needs to be designed narrowly. However, for an umbrella review on the same topic, a suitable study question could be: Various psychological interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Over the past one to two decades, numerous methodologies have been developed to combine systematic reviews and meta-analyses. However, among these methodologies, only one has been highly successful. Consequently, among the various types of umbrella review articles, only those that follow this specific methodology have been successful in terms of the number of citations received. The good news is that this course will not only review the various methodologies used but will also teach this specific successful methodology in detail.
Course Syllabus for Designing, Executing, Statistical Analysis, and Writing Umbrella Reviews:
- Introduction and General Overview: Familiarity with the types of research at three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary
- Practical Applications of Umbrella Review (UR) in Fields Related to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (When and Where Can We Use a UR Study?)
- Steps and Stages of Designing a UR Study: How to Design a UR and Register Its Protocol
- The Most Important Sections of a UR Protocol: (Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; Search Strategy) and How to Conduct These Two Important Steps
- Risk of Bias (ROB) Assessment or Methodological Quality Assessment of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses in a UR: How to Conduct This Step
- Data Extraction in a UR: How to Extract Data from Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; What Should the Structure of a Dataset for a UR Be
- Data Synthesis/Analysis Approaches in a UR: How and What Steps to Analyze Data in a Tertiary Study
- How to Use Packages/Functions and Related Commands in R Software to Analyze a UR
- Conclusion in a UR: How to Interpret the Findings of a UR
- Structure of a UR Protocol Article: How to Write This Type of Article
- Structure of a Final (Main) UR Article: How to Write the Different Sections of a Final UR Article
- How to Arrange Tables and Graphs in a Final UR Article
Prerequisites for the Course on Designing, Executing, Statistical Analysis, and Writing Umbrella Reviews:
- Completion of a Comprehensive Course on Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (It is preferable to have at least one published article)
- Completion of a Modern Methodology Course; (Familiarity with the Methodology of Different Types of Research Studies, Various Biases, Methods for Assessing and Controlling Biases, etc.)
- Completion of an Applied Statistics Course; (It is preferred that, in addition to acquiring the knowledge and skills aligned with the syllabus of the Applied Statistics course, you also become familiar with the R software and its meta-analysis packages such as meta, metafor, etc.)