Dataset Information

Survey of quality and clarity of methods and results reporting in 1 year of intervention studies published in high-impact medical and psychiatric journals.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We assessed how well articles in major medical and psychiatric journals followed best reporting practices in presenting results of intervention studies.

Method

Standardised data collection was used to review studies in high-impact and widely read medical (JAMA, Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine) and psychiatric (American Journal of Psychiatry, JAMA Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and Lancet Psychiatry) journals, published between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2019. Two team members independently reviewed each article.

Measures

The primary outcome measure was proportion of papers reporting consensus elements required to understand and evaluate the results of the intervention. The secondary outcome measure was comparison of complete and accessible reporting in the major medical versus the major psychiatric journals.

Results

One hundred twenty-seven articles were identified for inclusion. At least 90% of articles in both medical and psychiatric journals included sample size, statistical significance, randomisation method, elements of study flow, and age, sex, and illness severity by randomisation group. Selected elements less frequently reported by either journal type were confidence intervals in the abstract, reported in 93% (95% CI 84% to 97%) of medical journal articles and 58% (95% CI 45% to 69%) of psychiatric journal articles, and sample size method (93%, 95% CI 84% to 97% medical; 69%, 95% CI 57% to 80% psychiatric), race and ethnicity by randomisation group (51%, 95% CI 40% to 63% medical; 73%, 95% CI 60% to 83% psychiatric), and adverse events (94%; 95% CI 86% to 98% medical; 80%, 95% CI 68% to 88% psychiatric) in the main text. CIs were included less often in psychiatric than medical journals (p<0.004 abstract, p=0.04 main text, after multiple-testing correction).

Conclusions

Recommendations include standard inclusion of a table specifying the outcome(s) designated as primary, and the sample size, effect size(s), CI(s) and p value(s) corresponding to the primary test(s) for efficacy.

SUBMITTER: Ravichandran C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9748970 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Survey of quality and clarity of methods and results reporting in 1 year of intervention studies published in high-impact medical and psychiatric journals.

Ravichandran Caitlin C Babb Suzann M SM Ongur Dost D Harris Peter Q PQ Cohen Bruce M BM

BMJ open 20221212 12

<h4>Objective</h4>We assessed how well articles in major medical and psychiatric journals followed best reporting practices in presenting results of intervention studies.<h4>Method</h4>Standardised data collection was used to review studies in high-impact and widely read medical (<i>JAMA</i>, <i>Lancet</i> and <i>New England Journal of Medicine</i>) and psychiatric (<i>American Journal of Psychiatry</i>, <i>JAMA Psychiatry</i>, <i>Journal of Clinical Psychiatry</i> and <i>Lancet Psychiatry</i>) ...[more]

PMID: 36523238

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Dataset Information

Survey of quality and clarity of methods and results reporting in 1 year of intervention studies published in high-impact medical and psychiatric journals.

Objective

Method

Measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Survey of quality and clarity of methods and results reporting in 1 year of intervention studies published in high-impact medical and psychiatric journals.

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