CCInfo: Electronic news bulletin of The Cochrane Collaboration 27 April 2006 Contents: A. Cochrane Methodology Register now on Cochrane.org B. North American Systematic Reviewers Conference C. Resource Bank for Communication and Involvement in Health D. New online course in Statistics for Health Research E. Next issue of CCInfo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A. Sender: Sally Hopewell [SHopewell@cochrane.co.uk] Subject: Cochrane Methodology Register now on Cochrane.org The Cochrane Methodology Register is now available to the public, free of charge, at www.cochrane.org/cmr. The Cochrane Methodology Register is a database of studies relevant to the methods of systematic reviews of healthcare and social interventions. The register includes journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, conference abstracts and reports of ongoing methodological research. Relevant records are identified primarily through a programme of handsearching undertaken by the UK Cochrane Centre. The register aims to include all published reports of empirical methodological studies that could be relevant for inclusion in a Cochrane methodology review, along with comparative and descriptive studies relevant to the conduct of systematic reviews of healthcare interventions. In Issue 2, 2006 of The Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Methodology Register contains 8255 records. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX B. Sender: Kelly Manos [kmanos@jhsph.edu] Subject: North American Systematic Reviewers Conference The United States Cochrane Center invites you to attend the North American Systematic Reviewers Conference - "Encompassing Diversity in Systematic Reviews". The conference is supported by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Milbank Memorial Fund. The purpose of the Conference, is to foster collaboration among those performing and using systematic reviews to guide health care decision-making. The conference will provide an opportunity for systematic reviewers of any affiliation to come together to discuss their work. The conference will be held 13-14 July 2006 at the historic Radisson Lord Baltimore hotel in downtown Baltimore, near the Inner Harbor and other local attractions. We have prepared an exciting program and hope that you will be able to attend the conference. The program and meeting registration are available on our website, www.cochrane.us, by clicking on the meeting notice under EVENTS. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX C. Sender: Megan Prictor [M.Prictor@latrobe.edu.au] Subject: Resource Bank for Communication and Involvement in Health The Consumers and Communication Review Group has developed a Cochrane "Resource Bank for Communication and Involvement in Health". It is an online list of all Cochrane reviews and protocols of interventions that affect people’s interactions with the health system. The Resource Bank is located on the Consumers and Communication Review Group website at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/cochrane/resourcebank/resourcebank.html. We developed the Resource Bank because we were asked to identify all Cochrane reviews (across Review Groups) relevant to people’s interactions with the health system, and found that this was not an easy task. Reviews of interventions pertaining to people irrespective of health problem are published by the Consumers and Communication Review Group, but reviews of interventions limited to one type of health condition are published by other Review Groups. These reviews cover many diverse interventions and types of participants. This makes it hard to stay up-to-date and to find everything that may be of interest. The number of relevant reviews is growing fast, now totalling 177 reviews and 151 protocols. We hope that, in time, the collation of all reviews in this area may assist in developing search advice to help people to find these reviews and protocols on The Cochrane Library. We have handsearched titles on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to find all potentially relevant reviews and protocols. After a process of selection, the titles have been listed in the Resource Bank, and grouped roughly according to major themes, eg interventions relating to screening; or interventions to inform, promote participation and improve the responsiveness of care. The list is updated quarterly following publication of The Cochrane Library. Review titles are listed alphabetically by title and linked to lay summaries and abstracts on www.cochrane.org. We encourage you to use the Resource Bank to help identify reviews and protocols of interventions affecting people's interactions with the health system, and we welcome any feedback. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX D. Sender: Rachel Cox [cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk] Subject: New Online Course in Statistics for Health Research The University of Oxford, CPD Centre is launching a NEW ONLINE course in Statistics for Health Research. www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health The course is * designed for busy health and social care professionals who need a basic understanding of health statistics without becoming statisticians * available to study at the time of day and week that is best for you * supported by online tutors * focused on applying the concepts to real-life scenarios * built upon material developed for the MSc in Evidence Based Health Care This course is divided into 10 units. Each unit covers a different aspect of statistics and statistical modelling. Individual units are built around practical exercises and realistic case studies that will enable students to apply statistical knowledge in a health context. Date: 22 May 2006 for 10 weeks Fee: £1000 For further information, course content, or to book a place Visit our web site at www.conted.ox.ac.uk/health Or contact us Tel. 01865 286941, cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX E. Sender: Miranda Cumpston [cochrane@uottawa.ca] Subject: Next issue of CCInfo The next regular issue of CCInfo will be published on Thursday, 11 May 2006. Please submit your items to cochrane@uottawa.ca. When submitting messages for CCInfo, please include "CCInfo" in the subject line of your email so that I can readily identify submissions. Unless you request otherwise, your submissions to the CCInfo may be duplicated in other regular Cochrane Collaboration news channels, such as Cochrane News and the Cochrane Collaboration web site, at the discretion of the editors. Regards, Miranda Miranda Cumpston Education Coordinator The Canadian Cochrane Network and Centre Institute for Work & Health 481 University Ave, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M5G 2E9 Canada Ph: +1 416 927 2027 x2193 Fax: 416 927 4167 Email: cochrane@uottawa.ca Web: www.cochrane.uottawa.ca XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ______________________________________________ To subscribe to CCInfo, send an email to listserv@listserv.uottawa.ca with the message text "SUBSCRIBE CCINFO-L" (leave the subject line blank). To unsubscribe, send the message text "SIGNOFF CCINFO-L”.