Abstract
Objective
We sought to understand the extent to which Cochrane Eyes and Vision systematic reviews
of interventions for cataract, and primary studies, consider equity.
Study Design and Setting
This is a review of Cochrane Eyes and Vision systematic reviews (CSRs) on cataract
published on the Cochrane Library (end of March 2019) (n = 23), and recently published primary studies included in those reviews (n = 62), using the PROGRESSPlus framework.
Results
One CSR considered equity as a topic. Four (17%) CSRs included a low- and middle-income
country (LMIC) author; one of them was a first author. The CSR with equity as a main
topic restricted primary studies to those conducted in LMICs; otherwise none of the
systematic reviews used PROGRESS factors as inclusion or exclusion criteria. None
of the CSRs reported subgroup analyses by any PROGRESS factor, although these were
planned in two.
Two of the primary studies were led by an LMIC author; 42% involved LMIC authors;
37% were conducted in LMICs; 73% of studies reported on gender/sex of participants,
but other PROGRESS factors were less frequently reported. Three studies reported subgroup
analyses by sex; one reported subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity.
Conclusion
PROGRESS factors and equity are rarely considered in studies of interventions for
cataract, and this is reflected in the associated Cochrane reviews.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 07, 2020
Accepted:
April 30,
2020
Footnotes
Competing interests: Jennifer Evans is the joint coordinating editor of Cochrane Eyes and Vision and Jacqueline Ramke is the editor of Cochrane Eyes and Vision with special interest in equity. Other authors have no competing interests.
Funding: No specific funding was obtained for this work. Jacqueline Ramke is a Commonwealth Rutherford Fellow, funded by the UK government through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.
Identification
Copyright
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