Last Updated: January 2011 

 

A Compilation of Institutions Producing Synthesis Documents Prepared by the Alliance for Health Policy & Systems Research

Organization: 

Policy Briefs Capacity Workforce Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) Global & Social Policy Programme Global Health Council Health Action International Health Systems Evidence, McMaster University Management Sciences for Health (MSH) Supporting Policy relevant Reviews and Trials (SUPPORT) Summaries World Bank: Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF) World Health Organization: Department of Health Systems Financing World Health Organization: The World Health Report 2006—“Working together for Health” (Policy Briefs)

Briefing Notes Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems (CREHS), LSHTM Health Economics and Financing Programme, LSHTM STEPS Centre

Research Summaries Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems (CREHS), LSHTM Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN) Future Health Systems Research Programme Consortium Strategies for Health Insurance for Equity in Less Developed Countries (SHIELD) World Bank: Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF) World Bank : Reaching the Poor Policy Brief Series

Systematic Review Databases Health Systems Evidence (McMaster University) health-evidence.ca Cochrane Library

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Web-based Synthesis Documents

Policy Briefs  A Policy Brief is defined here as a summary document focusing on a policy or research question, providing a short overview of its main characteristics, typically offering some implementation, governance, delivery and financing concerns and options, and concluding with implications for policy (with or without recommendations). Name

Capacity Workforce

About

Launched in October 2004, The Capacity Workforce was a USAID-funded, five-year initiative that aimed to improve health programming in developing countries by strengthening the health workforce. Led by IntraHealth International, the Workforce collaborated with global partners such as IMA World Health, Jhpiego, Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health, Management Sciences for Health, PATH, and the Training Resources Group, to research, develop, and support human resources for health in low- and middle-income countries.

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Capacity Workforce “Legacy Series”Capacity Workforce “Technical Briefs”

Types of Summary Documents

Legacy Series (some available in French) The Capacity Workforce catalogues its synthesis documents under two names. The “Legacy Series” documents offer a synthesis of key findings from various projects undergone by the Capacity Workforce organized under a single topic area. The Series often includes a References section and runs 4-5 pages. Technical Briefs (some available in French) The Workforce’s “Technical Briefs” offer a synopsis of a health systems problem drawn from a variety of resources (published literature, research reports), followed by an evaluation of the problem and recommended action steps. Briefs run 6-10 pages and are accompanied by a Reference section.

Research Area(s)

Human Resources for Health Programme Management

Countries

Regional (Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, Central America)

Name

Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED)

About

COHRED is an international non-governmental organisation founded in 1993 that supports low- and middle-income countries in areas such as: health research system assessment and development; policy development; priority setting; and research communication/knowledge translation.

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COHRED Policy Briefs

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Types of Summary Documents

COHRED provides two types of synthesis documents. “COHRED statements” are short abstracts prepared by COHRED researchers and collaborators that highlight important issues in health research in a 2-3 page format. These briefs are broader in scope than briefs that draw from one research report. Statements draw upon multiple resources from the literature and are aimed for a policy-making audience. Relevant quantitative data are included, and a Reference section is included at the end. COHRED’s “National Health Research” documents offer policy recommendations for countries in a 6-page and 2-page format synthesized from findings from a larger research report. The brief summarizes the methodology and key findings of the study, offers an assessment of the findings, and lays out a set of “action steps” for policy-makers to consider. A link to the full report is provided.

Research Area(s)

Priority Research Setting Evidence-to-policy Programme and Policy Evaluation

Countries

Cuba, Cameroon, The Gambia, Lao PDR, Nicaragua, and Philippines Regional (Africa, Latin America)

Name

Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet)

About

Initiated by the WHO in 2005, EVIPNet is a social and collaborative network of 25 distinct country-based teams in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The network aims to promote partnerships between policy-makers, researchers and civil society in order to facilitate both policy development and policy implementation through the use of the most reliable scientific evidence available. EVIPNet teams are supported by their WHO regional office and a global steering committee of technical experts. Policy Briefs conducted by the Africa Regional team are available online.

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EVIPNNet Africa Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

To develop the policy briefs, EVIPNet country teams adopt tools designed to use WHO guidelines, several systematic reviews addressing health systems issues, and national health information. The tools allow countries to make policy that responds to their own needs and resources. Briefs usually run 4-5 pages and articulate prospective policy solutions regarding a health system issue. A Reference section is provided at the end.

Research Area(s)

Evidence-to-policy (Malaria Control)

Countries

Regional (Africa)

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

Global & Social Policy Programme

About

GASPP is a network that focuses on collaborating with a number of research centres and individual researchers in the field of global social policy. Its research and advisory work are done by collaborating centres in Finland (STAKES-The National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health), England (University of Sheffield, European Social and Cultural Studies Centre), Canada (McMaster University, Institute on Globalisation and the Human Condition), and India (Jawaharlal Nehru University, The Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health).

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GASPP Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

GASPP periodically publishes a 4-8 page analysis of a broad health systems topic area intended for a policy-making audience. The brief is usually drawn from a larger piece of work on the subject. The brief includes relevant background information, the authors’ analysis of the issue, and recommendations for policy-makers to consider. A Reference section is provided. An “executive summary” is often included in the beginning.

Research Area(s)

Public-private Partnerships Role of the Non-state Sector Social Policy and Health

Countries

Multi-country

Name

Global Health Council

About

The Global Health Council, is a US-based, non-profit membership organisation that was created in 1972 to identify priority world health problems and to report on them to the U.S. public, legislators, international and domestic government agencies, academic institutions and the global health community. Today, it is the world’s largest membership organization of its kind.

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GHC Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

Global Health Council Policy Briefs summarize a broad health systems topic in an easy to comprehend, question and answer, 4-6 page format. The purpose of the brief is to introduce unfamiliar readers to the topic area. Information is derived from the extant literature, and a Reference section is sometimes found at the end.

Research Area(s)

Human Resources for Health Access to Medicines

Countries

Multi-country

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Name

Health Action International

About

HAI works to increase access and improve the rational use of essential medicines. Health Action’s European division, WHO and other partners are working together to make existing drug price information more widely available in order to improve equity in access to essential medicines in health systems and to provide support to Member States in this regard.

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HAI Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

(also available in French and Spanish) HAI offers briefing papers (running 2-8 pages) targeted for a policy-making audience. The Briefs are usually a response to a policy currently being debated or is a follow-up analysis of a recent convening of health decision-makers. The Briefs offer HAI’s recommendations or suggested courses of actions regarding the area of debate. A Reference section is often included as data from the literature is used to support the recommendations.

Research Area(s)

Access to Medicines

Countries

Multi-country

Name

Health Systems Evidence, McMaster University

About

Health Systems Evidence is an easy-to-search and continuously updated online repository of synthesized research evidence related to governance, financial and delivery arrangements in health systems and to implementation strategies that can support change within health systems. It contains details about all the policy briefs, overviews of systematic review and systematic reviews relevant to health systems.

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HSE Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

HSE Policy Briefs summarize how the findings from a number of systematic reviews pertain to a pressing problem, proffer selected options for addressing the problem, and address key implementation considerations. Briefs draw from a number of resources and include a Reference section at the end.

Research Area(s)

Governance Arrangements Healthcare Financing Delivery Arrangement Implementation Strategy

Countries

Multi-country

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

About

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA), Management Sciences for Health is a non-profit, international health organization composed of more than 2,000 individuals from 73 nations. MSH works to take an integrated approach to address issues in leadership, health systems management, health service delivery, human resources, and medicines.

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MSH Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

MSH offers a 2-3 page summary of a topic area, selected key findings, and recommendations for a future plan of action. A link to the more in-depth, relevant research report is provided.

Research Area(s)

Health Service Delivery Access to Medicines Healthcare Financing

Countries

Regional (Asia, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa)

Name

Supporting Policy relevant Reviews and Trials (SUPPORT) Summaries

About

SUPPORT aims to summarise the best and most relevant evidence from reviews of interventions to improve maternal and child health in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) and of health systems interventions relevant to LMICs. These summaries extract the most relevant information from systematic reviews, evaluate the information and present it in a user-friendly manner so that decision-makers can quickly review the evidence and decide whether a particular innovation is likely to be effective in their own context.

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SUPPORT Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

SUPPORT Summaries are derived from relevant high-quality systematic reviews using a prescribed, methodological process. Each summary begins with the key messages derived from the findings of the review followed by the authors’ assessment. Summaries include key background information, assessment of the quality of evidence, applicability of the evidence for LMIC, economic considerations, and references for additional information.

Research Area(s)

Health Financing Role of the Non-state Sector Human Resources for Health

Countries

Multi-country

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Name

World Bank: Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF)

About

Initiated in December 2007, The World Bank’s multi-donor Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF) supports results-based financing (RBF) approaches in the health sector for achievement of health-related MDGs. The HRITF aims to: i) Support design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of RBF mechanisms; ii) Develop and disseminate the evidence base for implementing successful RBF mechanisms; iii) Build country institutional capacity to scale up and sustain the RBF mechanisms, with the national health strategy and system, and; iv) Attract additional financing to the health sector.

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World Bank HRITF Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

Short essays (about 10 pages) that introduce and explain an aspect of healthcare financing or solvency are presented. The essays are introductory in nature, and serve as background information to inform unfamiliar audiences and decision-makers regarding issues within RBF.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing

Countries

Afghanistan, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Kyrgyz Republic, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Name

World Health Organization: Department of Health Systems Financing

About

The Department of Health Systems Financing (HSF) works in collaboration with regional and country offices of WHO to support countries seeking to strengthen their health financing systems. The department strives to be a trusted partner in the development of equitable, efficient and sustainable health financing systems and institutions.

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WHO HSF Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

These technical briefs provide a succinct summary of a key policy issue, explaining what the issue is, why is it important, and how policy-makers can address the issue. The briefs run about 2-3 pages.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing

Countries

China, Ghana, Latvia Multi-country

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

World Health Organization: The World Health Report 2006—“Working together for Health” (Policy Briefs)

About

The 2006 World Health Report dealt with the critical shortage of the health workforce, and included ambitious proposals to tackle it over the next ten years. A set of 6 policy briefs synthesizing the information found in the full report was concurrently assembled: 1 Strengthening information and research on the health workforce: strategies for action 2 Investing in education for expanded capacity and lifelong learning 3 Making the most of the existing health workforce 4 Addressing the complex challenges of health worker migration 5 Bridging between health workers in separate public health programmes 6 Financing health workforce development

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WHO World Health Report 2006 Policy Briefs

Types of Summary Documents

(also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) Policy Briefs run about 5 pages, and begins with an introduction of the specific subject title. A “Strategy of Action” is delineated, followed by a list of resources for further reading on the topic.

Research Area(s)

Human Resources for Health Health Financing

Countries

Multi-country

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Briefing Notes A Briefing Note seeks to summarize a much larger issue - be it a report, topic, synthesis or body of evidence. Briefing Notes adopt various different styles, and are intended primarily to offer the “big picture” for those interested in specific or more detailed knowledge. Name

Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems (CREHS), LSHTM

About

CREHS is a partnership of eight organisations based in Kenya, India, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and the United Kingdom that aim to generate knowledge about how to strengthen health system policies and interventions in low- income countries.

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LSHTM CREHS Briefing Notes

Types of Summary Documents

These Briefing Notes offer synopses from a meeting or a qualitative evaluation of a programme in a 4-5 page briefer. A Reference section is sometimes included.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing Programme and Policy Evaluation

Countries

Thailand, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Kenya Multi-country

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

Health Economics and Financing Programme, LSHTM

About

The Health Economics and Financing Programme (HEFP), located within the Department of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, produces and disseminates knowledge with collaborators at Southern Institutions to improve the performance of developing country health systems.

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LSHTM HEFP Briefing Notes

Types of Summary Documents

The Briefing Note provides an Executive Summary of key findings taken from a larger research report running 1-2 pages. A link to the full research report is provided at the end along with links for “further reading”.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing Human Resources for Health Programme and Policy Evaluation

Countries

Kenya, Malawi, Peru, Tanzania, India, Afghanistan, Georgia, Zambia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, China Multi-country Regional (Africa)

Name

STEPS Centre

About

The STEPS Centre is an interdisciplinary global research and policy engagement hub, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. The Centre investigates the interactions between social, technological and environmental factors in diverse local settings.

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STEPS Centre Briefing Notes

Types of Summary Documents

STEPS Centre notes provide a short briefing (around 800 words) explaining the key points of a research or working paper conducted by the Centre. A case study or “real-life” example often accompanies the brief.

Research Area(s)

Health Governance Health Systems Sustainability Universal Coverage

Countries

Regional (Asia, Latin America) Multi-country

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Research Summaries  A Research Summary provides a summary of a larger research report. It usually mirrors the typical format of a research study (e.g. Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions), but in an abridged format. Name

Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems (CREHS), LSHTM

About

CREHS is a partnership of eight organisations based in Kenya, India, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and the United Kingdom that aim to generate knowledge about how to strengthen health system policies and interventions in low- income countries.

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LSHTM CREHS Research Summaries

Types of Summary Documents

Summary of a larger research report undergone by the Consortium running between 5-7 pages. Background, Methodology, Key findings, Conclusion, and References sections are included.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing Programme and Policy Evaluation

Countries

Thailand, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Kenya Multi-country

Name

Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN)

About

GHIN comprises researchers in 22 countries who are exploring the effects of Global Health Initiatives (specifically, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); and the World Bank’s HIV/AIDS programmes) on existing health systems. GHIN is focusing on collecting evidence of these effects from regions, facilities and services, and communities, in order to inform policy development at national and international level.

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GHIN Research Summaries

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Types of Summary Documents

Summary of a larger research report. Results and quantitative data are presented (with graphs). A short discussion regarding key findings and recommendations is also included. A Works Cited section is found at the end. Briefs run about 7-10 pages. A second type of research summaries is available as a “Project Brief”; an easy-to-read synthesis derived from a larger research report. The Project Brief is less in-depth than other type of research summary document offered by GHIN, including only a short background and key findings. These briefs run about 2-3 page pages.

Research Area(s)

Programme and Policy Evaluation Human Resources for Health Healthcare Financing

Countries

China, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Peru, Ukraine, Zambia Multi-country

Name

Future Health Systems Research Programme Consortium

About

The Future Health Systems Research Programme Consortium is a five year programme of research work funded by UK DFID and managed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. Comprised of partner institutions in China, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Uganda, the Consortium aims to generate knowledge that shapes health systems to benefit the world's poor in these countries as well as Afghanistan

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Future Health Systems Research Summaries

Types of Summary Documents

Summary of a larger research report undergone by the Consortium running between 5-7 pages. Following a brief description of the research objectives and methodology, Results and Key Findings are presented.

Research Area(s)

Human Resources for Health Healthcare Financing Programme and Policy Evaluation Maternal Health Primary Healthcare

Countries

Afghanistan, China, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uganda

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Name

Strategies for Health Insurance for Equity in Less Developed Countries (SHIELD)

About

SHIELD was a 3 year project which analysed alternative approaches to health insurance in Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa as a mechanism for addressing health system equity challenges and in turn contributing to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Institutional partners were located in the studied countries as well as the Netherlands, UK, and Sweden.

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SHIELD Research Summaries

Types of Summary Documents

SHIELD offers two types of synthesis documents. Summary of a larger research programme or report. Includes an introduction, key findings and highlights of results. A short policy recommendation section is also provided. “Information Sheets” regarding the health systems structure of Ghana, Tanzania or South Africa. Information Sheets on healthcare financing and access to care are also available.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing Universal Coverage

Countries

Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa

Name

World Bank: Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF)

About

Initiated in December 2007, The World Bank’s multi-donor Health Results Innovation Trust Fund (HRITF) supports results-based financing (RBF) approaches in the health sector for achievement of health-related MDGs. The HRITF aims to:

I. Support design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of RBF mechanisms; II. Develop and disseminate the evidence base for implementing successful RBF mechanisms;

III. Build country institutional capacity to scale up and sustain the RBF mechanisms, with the national health strategy and system, and;

IV. Attract additional financing to the health sector.

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World Bank HRITF Research Summaries

Types of Summary Documents

Overview or case-study summarizing a country’s experience with RBF running between 5-7 pages. The target audiences are policy-makers and researchers who may be looking for real-life evaluations following a policy’s implementation.

Research Area(s)

Healthcare Financing

Countries

Afghanistan, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Kyrgyz Republic, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

World Bank : Reaching the Poor Policy Brief Series

About

The Reaching the Poor Policy Brief Series aims to share with a large policy and advocacy audience evaluated examples of health programs and projects that have successfully made health sector spending more progressive. The Policy Brief Series was produced in 2008 by the World Bank Institute with the dual objectives of (i) sharing evaluated experiences showing that it is possible to tackle inequalities in the health sector in order to (ii) generate a global dialogue on this often neglected issue.

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World Bank Reaching the Poor Research Summaries

Types of Summary Documents

Each summary (running about 5 pages) is limited to a single country and adapted from a larger piece of work. The brief contains an introduction into the studied topic, key findings, and an evaluation of what worked and why.

Research Area(s)

Health Financing Role of the Non-state Sector

Countries

Cambodia, Mexico, India, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Colombia, Chile, Indonesia, Tanzania, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan

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Systematic Review Databases Systematic reviews use a rigorous scientific method to obtain all relevant studies of high quality regarding a topic. The following are major databases that compile systematic reviews relevant to public health and health systems issues. Name

Health Systems Evidence (McMaster University)

About

Health Systems Evidence is an easy-to-search and continuously updated online repository of synthesized research evidence related to governance, financial and delivery arrangements in health systems and to implementation strategies that can support change within health systems. It contains details about all the policy briefs, overviews of systematic reviews, systematic reviews, and protocols of systematic reviews relevant to health systems, as well as links to any user-friendly summaries, scientific abstracts and full-text reports that are currently available for these syntheses.

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http://www.mcmasterhealthforum.org/healthsystemsevidence

Name

health-evidence.ca

About

Health-evidence.ca is a free, searchable online registry of systematic reviews. The registry is unique in that it is pre-filtered to only include reviews that are of interest to public health and health promotion decision makers and uses a comprehensive search strategy to include only high-quality content.

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http://health-evidence.ca/articles/search

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Web-based Synthesis Documents Name

Cochrane Library

About

The Cochrane Library is a collection of seven databases that contain different types of evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Two databases provide a valuable resource for health systems related evidence: The Database on Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) 1) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) is the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. Each Cochrane Review is a peer-reviewed systematic review that has been prepared and supervised by an editorial team. 2) Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) contains abstracts of systematic reviews that have been quality-assessed. Each abstract includes a summary of the review together with a critical commentary about the overall quality.

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CDSR: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/cochrane_clsysrev_articles_fs.htmlDARE: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/cochrane_cldare_articles_fs.html

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