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Series: GRADE Equity Guidelines| Volume 90, P68-75, October 2017

GRADE equity guidelines 2: considering health equity in GRADE guideline development: equity extension of the guideline development checklist

  • Elie A. Akl
    Correspondence
    Corresponding author. Tel.: +961-1-374374.
    Affiliations
    Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    Department of Medicine, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    AUB GRADE Center, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
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  • Vivian Welch
    Affiliations
    Bruyére Research Institute, Bruyére Continuing Care and University of Ottawa, Bruyère St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5C8, Canada
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  • Kevin Pottie
    Affiliations
    Centre for Global Health, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, 43 Bruyère St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5C8, Canada
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  • Javier Eslava-Schmalbach
    Affiliations
    Group of Equity in Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Edif. Uriel Gutiérrez, Bogotá D.C., Colombia

    Technology Development Center, Sociedad Colombiana de Anestesiologia y Reanimacion, Sociedad Colombiana de Anestesiología y ReanimaciónCra, 15 A No 120-74, Piso 4y5, Edif. Concord Center, Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia
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  • Andrea Darzi
    Affiliations
    Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    AUB GRADE Center, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
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  • Ivan Sola
    Affiliations
    Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), C/Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, Pavelló 18, planta 0, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
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  • Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi
    Affiliations
    Public Health MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200, Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, Scotland
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  • Jasvinder Singh
    Affiliations
    Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Birmingham VA Medical Center, 700 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA

    Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA

    Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA
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  • M. Hassan Murad
    Affiliations
    Mayo Clinic Evidence-based Practice Center, Preventive Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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  • Joerg Meerpohl
    Affiliations
    Centre de Recherche Épidémiologie et Statistique Sorbonne Paris Cité–U1153, Inserm/Université Paris Descartes, 1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75004 Paris, France

    Cochrane France, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, 1 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 75181 Paris, Cedex 04, France

    Cochrane Germany, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 153, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
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  • Roger Stanev
    Affiliations
    Institute of Technology, University of Washington, Tacoma, Washington, USA
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  • Eddy Lang
    Affiliations
    Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
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  • Elizabeth Matovinovic
    Affiliations
    Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Su Thep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
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  • Beverley Shea
    Affiliations
    Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
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  • Thomas Agoritsas
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
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  • Paul E. Alexander
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
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  • Alexandra Snellman
    Affiliations
    Socialstyrelsen, Rålambsvägen 3, Stockholm, 112 59, Sweden
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  • Romina Brignardello-Petersen
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Evidence Based Dentistry Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago 1058, Chile
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  • David Gloss
    Affiliations
    Department of Neurology, Charleston Area Medical Center, 1201 Washington Street East, Suite 100, Charleston, WV 25301, USA
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  • Lehana Thabane
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
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  • Chunhu Shi
    Affiliations
    Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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  • Airton T. Stein
    Affiliations
    Public Health Ufcspa, Ulbra and Conceicao Hospital, Av. Farroupilha, 8001, Bairro São José, Canoas (RS), Brasil
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  • Ravi Sharaf
    Affiliations
    Long Island Jewish Medical Center North Shore University Hospital, 270-05 76th Ave, Queens, NY 11040, USA
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  • Matthias Briel
    Affiliations
    Basel Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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  • Gordon Guyatt
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
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  • Holger Schünemann
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W.Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, 1280 Main St., W. Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    McMaster GRADE Center, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada

    Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada
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  • Peter Tugwell
    Affiliations
    The Centre for Global Health, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
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      Abstract

      Objective

      To provide guidance for guideline developers on how to consider health equity at key stages of the guideline development process.

      Study Design and Setting

      Literature review followed by group discussions and consensus building.

      Results

      The key stages at which guideline developers could consider equity include setting priorities, guideline group membership, identifying the target audience(s), generating the guideline questions, considering the importance of outcomes and interventions, deciding what evidence to include and searching for evidence, summarizing the evidence and considering additional information, wording of recommendations, and evaluation and use. We provide examples of how guidelines have actually considered equity at each of these stages.

      Conclusion

      Guideline projects should consider the aforementioned suggestions for recommendations that are equity sensitive.

      Keywords

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