Can consumers improve the quality of Cochrane reviews?

Carol Grant-Pearce, Gill Gyte, Carol Sakala, Dell Horey, Sonja Henderson, Sandy Oliver

Background: The Cochrane Collaboration is committed to consumer involvement. The Pregnancy and Childbirth Group (PCG) set up an international consumer panel in 1998 with the aim of involving consumers as referees in the editorial process. By 2003, there were over 50 consumers from 10 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, UK and USA) involved with the consumer panel, along with three co-ordinators, one in the UK, one in the USA and one in Australia. Since early 1999, consumers have commented on all the PCG protocols and reviews going through the editorial process (amounting to over 300), and the group is keen to evaluate their impact.
Objective: To determine how editors, reviewers and consumers view the consumer contribution to the quality of Cochrane reviews in the Cochrane PCG.
Methods: The study examined routine documentation at the editorial base, conducted two mapping interviews and identified reviewers and consumers to interview by using a short questionnaire. Five reviewers and five consumers were selected to give diverse views. Eighteen semi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken with editors, reviewers, consumers and the review group co-ordinator. The main issues, impressions, and themes from each interview were summarised and the resulting data explored to identify themes. Data obtained from interviews were cross-checked with the data from the process documents.
Results: Key points identified were: consumer input adds value; the quality of consumer input is perceived to be positive though there are areas for improvement; those with an overview of the review process considered that consumer input improved the final review; feedback mechanisms to consumers are a key area for development within the review process
Conclusions: This project has identified key issues surrounding consumer involvement in the quality of Cochrane reviews, and identified suggestions on how improvements can be achieved. Further research is planned to assess more objectively whether consumers improve the quality of Cochrane reviews.
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the Steering Group Discretionary Fund for financial support for this evaluation, and Carol Grant-Pearce for donating her time and skills to the project.
References: 1. Sakala C, Gyte G, Henderson S, Neilson JP and Horey D. Consumer-professional partnership to improve research: The experience of the Cochrane Collaboration’s Pregnancy and Childbirth Group. Birth. 2001; 28(2):133-7.

Ottawa 2004 O-002