Question

Discuss appropriate critical appraisal criteria for qualitative evidence that are required to accurately translate these studies into practice.

Answer 1

Ans) Critical appraisal of qualitative studies is an essential step within a Cochrane Intervention review that incorporates qualitative evidence.

- The overarching goal of critical appraisal in the context of including qualitative research in a Cochrane Intervention Review is to assess whether the studies actually address questions under meaning, process and context in relation to the intervention and outcomes under review.

- Review teams should use a critical appraisal instrument that is underpinned by a multi-dimensional concept of quality in research and hence includes items to assess quality according to several domains including quality of reporting, methodological rigour and conceptual depth and bread.

- Critical appraisal involves (i) filtering against minimum criteria, involving adequacy of reporting detail on the data sampling,-collection and-analysis, (ii) technical rigour of the study elements indicating methodological soundness and (iii) paradigmatic sufficiency, referring to researchers' responsiveness to data and theoretical consistency.

- When choosing an appraisal instrument a Review teams should consider the available expertise in qualitative research within the team and should ensure that the critical appraisal instrument they choose is appropriate given the review question and the type of studies to be included.

- Reviewers need to clarify how the outcome of their critical appraisal exercise is used with respect to the presentation of their findings. The inclusion of a sensitivity analysis is recommended to evaluate the magnitude of methodological flaws or the extent to which it has a small rather than a big impact on the findings and conclusions.