EDAPT Global Population Health Practice Exam

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses follow a planned, replicable workflow to minimize bias and provide a clear answer to a specific question. The first step is defining the question and developing a protocol that specifies objectives, eligibility criteria, search strategy, and planned analyses. Then conduct a comprehensive literature search, screen studies against predefined criteria, and select those to include. Next, extract data consistently from the included studies and assess risk of bias or study quality. After that, synthesize the findings qualitatively to describe what the studies show, and if appropriate perform a meta-analysis to combine results quantitatively. It’s also essential to assess heterogeneity across studies and examine potential publication bias. Finally, report the methods and findings transparently, including search strategy, study selection, data extraction, risk of bias, synthesis, and conclusions. Other options that skip steps like protocol development, study selection, data extraction, bias assessment, or meta-analysis, or that rely on a single study, fail to provide the comprehensive, systematic approach required.