Meta-analysis: current issues in research synthesis

Stat Med. 1996 Jun 30;15(12):1253-7; discussion 1259-62. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0258(19960630)15:12<1253::AID-SIM303>3.0.CO;2-R.

Abstract

Recent concern about the effectiveness of alternative treatments in medicine and health, in education, in psychology, and in the social sciences has led to a consideration of how to combine or synthesize the results of independent studies. Historically, integration of independent results focused on how to combine p-values. More recently the emphasis has been on estimating effect sizes, which in turn has motivated a variety of alternative models depending on the experimental conditions. We here review the development of the field with an emphasis of diagnostics and future research.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bias
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical*
  • Diffusion of Innovation
  • Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic
  • Humans
  • Meta-Analysis as Topic*
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Treatment Outcome