Publication and related biases: a review
Song F, Eastwood A J, Gilbody S, Duley L, Sutton A J
Record ID 32000000850
English
Authors' objectives:
This review aims to identify systematically and appraise studies that have examined methodological issues and provide empirical evidence about publication bias and other dissemination-related biases, including biases due to the time, type and language of publication, multiple publication, selective citation of references, database index bias, and biased media attention. The review seeks to answer the following questions: - What empirical evidence is available on the existence and consequences of publication and related biases? - What are the causes and risk factors of publication and related biases? - What methods have been developed and how useful are these methods for preventing, detecting and correcting publication and related biases?
Authors' recommendations:
Although the extent, direction and impact of publication and related biases are uncertain and may vary greatly depending on circumstances, it seems reasonable to conclude that studies with significant or favourable results are more widely disseminated than those with non-significant or unfavourable results. The potential problem of publication and related biases should be taken into consideration in the field of health technology assessment. All funded or approved studies should be prospectively registered. The risk of publication bias should be assessed in all systematic reviews.
Authors' methods:
Systematic review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://www.hta.ac.uk/1051
Year Published:
2000
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
- Publication Bias
- Research
Contact
Organisation Name:
NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address:
NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name:
journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email:
journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright:
2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.