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Competing with a pandemic: Trends in research design in a time of Covid-19.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:During the Covid-19 pandemic, major journals have published a significant number of Covid-19 related articles in a short period of time. While this is necessary to combat the worldwide pandemic, it may have trade-offs with respect to publishing research from other disciplines. OBJECTIVES:To assess differences in published research design before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS:We performed a cross-sectional review of all 322 full-length research studies published between October 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020 in three major medical journals. We compared the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and studies with a control group before and after January 31, 2020, when Covid-19 began garnering international attention. RESULTS:The number of full-length research studies per issue was not statistically different before and after the Covid-19 pandemic (from 3.7 to 3.5 per issue, p = 0.17). Compared to before January 31, 2020, 0.7 fewer non-Covid-19 studies per issue were published versus after January 31, 2020 (p<0.001), a change that was offset by Covid-19 studies. Among non-Covid-19 studies, 0.9 fewer studies with a control group per issue were published after January 31, 2020, with RCTs contributing to nearly all the decline (p<0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). In the same timeframe, non-Covid-19 studies without a control group and non-Covid-19 studies without randomization experienced relatively small changes that did not meet our threshold for statistical significance (increases of 0.1 and 0.1 per issue, p = 0.80, p = 0.88, respectively). LIMITATIONS:Using a simple heuristic for assessing research design and lack of generalizability to the general medical literature. CONCLUSIONS:In summary, the increase in Covid-19 studies coincided with a decrease of mostly non-Covid-19 RCTs.

SUBMITTER: Bian SX

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7482957 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Competing with a pandemic: Trends in research design in a time of Covid-19.

Bian Shelly X SX Lin Eugene E

PloS one 20200910 9

<h4>Introduction</h4>During the Covid-19 pandemic, major journals have published a significant number of Covid-19 related articles in a short period of time. While this is necessary to combat the worldwide pandemic, it may have trade-offs with respect to publishing research from other disciplines.<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess differences in published research design before and after the Covid-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We performed a cross-sectional review of all 322 full-length research studies ...[more]

PMID: 32913357

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Project description:BackgroundTimes of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to compromise mental health. Despite a large number of studies, evidence on the development of mental health in general populations during the pandemic is inconclusive. One reason may be that representative data spanning the whole pandemic and allowing for comparisons to pre-pandemic data are scarce.MethodsWe analyzed representative data from telephone surveys of Germany's adults. Three mental health indicators were observed in ~1,000 and later up to 3,000 randomly sampled participants monthly until June 2022: symptoms of depression (observed since April 2019, PHQ-2), symptoms of anxiety (GAD-2), and self-rated mental health (latter two observed since March 2021). We produced time series graphs including estimated three-month moving means and proportions of positive screens (PHQ/GAD-2 score ≥ 3) and reports of very good/excellent mental health, as well as smoothing curves. We also compared time periods between years. Analyses were stratified by sex, age, and level of education.ResultsWhile mean depressive symptom scores declined from the first wave of the pandemic to summer 2020, they increased from October 2020 and remained consistently elevated throughout 2021 with another increase between 2021 and 2022. Correspondingly, the proportion of positive screens first decreased from 11.1% in spring/summer 2019 to 9.3% in the same period in 2020 and then rose to 13.1% in 2021 and to 16.9% in 2022. While depressive symptoms increased in all subgroups at different times, developments among women (earlier increase), the youngest (notable increase in 2021) and eldest adults, as well as the high level of education group (both latter groups: early, continuous increases) stand out. However, the social gradient in symptom levels between education groups remained unchanged. Symptoms of anxiety also increased while self-rated mental health decreased between 2021 and 2022.ConclusionElevated symptom levels and reduced self-rated mental health at the end of our observation period in June 2022 call for further continuous mental health surveillance. Mental healthcare needs of the population should be monitored closely. Findings should serve to inform policymakers and clinicians of ongoing dynamics to guide health promotion, prevention, and care.

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Competing with a pandemic: Trends in research design in a time of Covid-19.

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Competing with a pandemic: Trends in research design in a time of Covid-19.

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