Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Patients and Members of the Public Contributing to Rapid Health Technology Assessments for NICE: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Evidence and External Assessment Groups (EAGs) assist in the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence's Technology Appraisal programme by either critiquing evidence provided by companies on different health technologies, or by carrying out an independent search and evaluation of the published evidence. Historically, there has been little patient and public involvement within the work of EAGs.

Objective: To identify key barriers and facilitators to patient and public involvement in EAG Reports feeding into the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's Health Technology Appraisal process.

Reporting of Patient and Public Involvement in Technology Appraisal and Assessment Reports: A Rapid Scoping Review.

Background: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidance on the use of health technologies (including new and existing medicines, medical devices, diagnostics and interventional procedures) in the National Health Service. Technology Appraisals inform recommendations on the use of new and existing health technologies. As part of its health technology evaluation process, NICE ask independent research groups known as Evidence or External Assessment Groups (EAGs) to assess or evaluate the available evidence surrounding health technologies.

Genedrive kit for detecting single nucleotide polymorphism m.1555A>G in neonates and their mothers: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: Neonates with suspected sepsis are commonly treated with gentamicin, an aminoglycoside. These antibiotics are associated with high risk of ototoxicity, including profound bilateral deafness, in people with the m.1555A>G mitochondrial genetic variant.

Emerging Technologies for Improving Musculoskeletal Health: A Systematic Evidence Gap Map.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are the largest contributor to disability worldwide. The aim of this project was to undertake a horizon scan and generate an evidence gap map (EGM) to highlight technological innovations in development for preventing and managing MSK conditions at early stages of the clinical treatment pathway, and to identify areas of unmet need.

Methods: In February 2024, bibliographic databases, a clinical trial registry, research funding portals, and company websites were searched for relevant records.

Cariprazine in the acute treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cariprazine has emerged as a promising augmenting treatment agent for unipolar depression and as a monotherapy option for bipolar depression. We evaluated cariprazine's efficacy in treating acute major depressive episodes in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.

PROTOCOL: Methods used in the development, production and updating of evidence and gap maps: A scoping review.

Evidence and gap maps (EGMs) are an increasinly popular approach used in evidence synthesis. As an approach they address broad research questions, describing the existing evidence base, highlighting evidence gaps and providing an interactive visual tool for knowledge users. The purpose of this methodological study is to explore the the processes used in the development of EGM's and how they are reported.

Impact of price reductions, subsidies, or financial incentives on healthy food purchases and consumption: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Poor diets are a global concern and are linked with various adverse health outcomes. Healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables are often more expensive than unhealthy options. This study aimed to assess the effect of price reductions for healthy food (including fruit and vegetables) on diet.

Scoping the Priorities and Concerns of Parents: Infodemiology Study of Posts on Mumsnet and Reddit.

Background: Health technology innovation is increasingly supported by a bottom-up approach to priority setting, aiming to better reflect the concerns of its intended beneficiaries. Web-based forums provide parents with an outlet to share concerns, advice, and information related to parenting and the health and well-being of their children. They provide a rich source of data on parenting concerns and priorities that could inform future child health research and innovation.

Predictive accuracy of risk prediction models for recurrence, metastasis and survival for early-stage cutaneous melanoma: a systematic review.

Objectives: To identify prognostic models for melanoma survival, recurrence and metastasis among American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I and II patients postsurgery; and evaluate model performance, including overall survival (OS) prediction.

Design: Systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Data Sources: Searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index and grey literature sources including cancer and guideline websites from 2000 to September 2021.

Economic evaluations of interventions to prevent and control health-care-associated infections: a systematic review.

Almost 9 million health-care-associated infections have been estimated to occur each year in European hospitals and long-term care facilities, and these lead to an increase in morbidity, mortality, bed occupancy, and duration of hospital stay. The aim of this systematic review was to review the cost-effectiveness of interventions to limit the spread of health-care-associated infections), framed by WHO infection prevention and control core components. The Embase, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Health Technology Assessment, Cinahl, Scopus, Pediatric Economic Database Evaluation, and Global Index Medicus databases, plus grey literature were searched for studies between Jan 1, 2009, and Aug 10, 2022.

Interventions for treating obstetric fistula: An evidence gap map.

Obstetric fistula is prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, with between 50,000 and 100,000 new cases each year. The World Health Organization aims to eradicate it by 2030 but a clear idea of the extant evidence is unavailable. This evidence map compiled evidence on treatments for obstetric fistula to identify potential knowledge gaps.

Involving people with a lived experience when developing a proposal for Health Technology Assessment research of nonsurgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse: Process and reflections.

Introduction: Patient and public involvement (PPI) is an expectation when conducting research, including Health Technology Assessment (HTA), but practical guidance for those wishing to embed PPI into the grant application process is not always easily accessible. We wanted to ensure that PPI was central when preparing a proposal for an investigator-led evidence synthesis HTA investigating nonsurgical interventions for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women. Here, we describe our methods.

Which interventions are effective at decreasing or increasing emergency department attendances or hospital admissions from long-term care facilities? A systematic review.

Objective: UK long-term care facility residents account for 185 000 emergency hospital admissions each year. Avoidance of unnecessary hospital transfers benefits residents, reduces demand on the healthcare systems but is difficult to implement. We synthesised evidence on interventions that influence unplanned hospital admissions or attendances by long-term care facility residents.

Impacts of health care service changes implemented due to COVID-19 on children and young people with long-term disability: A mapping review.

Aim: To identify the research on childhood disability service adaptations and their impact on children and young people with long-term disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: A mapping review was undertaken. We searched the World Health Organization Global COVID-19 database using the search terms 'children', 'chronic/disabling conditions', and 'services/therapies'.

A rapid priority setting exercise combining existing, emergent evidence with stakeholder knowledge identified broad topic uncertainties.

Objectives: The project aimed to rapidly identify priority topic uncertainties as a first step to identify future systematic review questions of pertinence to key international fecal incontinence (FI) stakeholders (patients, carers, health care professionals, policy makers and voluntary, community, or social enterprise representatives). The paper's aim is to share our methods, experience, and learning with other groups planning to deliver a rapid priority setting exercise.

Study Design And Setting: An evidence gap map incorporated three evidence streams: emerging evidence identified through horizon scanning; existing evidence identified through systematic searches of bibliographic databases; and FI stakeholder insights collected through an international survey.

Using Natural Language Processing to Explore Mental Health Insights From UK Tweets During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infodemiology Study.

Background: There is need to consider the value of soft intelligence, leveraged using accessible natural language processing (NLP) tools, as a source of analyzed evidence to support public health research outputs and decision-making.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the value of soft intelligence analyzed using NLP. As a case study, we selected and used a commercially available NLP platform to identify, collect, and interrogate a large collection of UK tweets relating to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are older patients less likely to be treated for pancreatic cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh commonest cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although prognosis is poor, both surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy improve survival. However, it has been suggested that not all pancreatic cancer patients who may benefit from treatment receive it.

Rapid priority setting exercise on faecal incontinence for Cochrane Incontinence.

Objective: This rapid priority setting exercise aimed to identify, expand, prioritise and explore stakeholder (patients, carers and healthcare practitioners) topic uncertainties on faecal incontinence (FI).

Design: An evidence gap map (EGM) was produced to give a visual overview of emerging trial evidence; existing systematic review-level evidence and FI stakeholder topic uncertainties derived from a survey. This EGM was used in a knowledge exchange workshop that promoted group discussions leading to the prioritisation and exploration of FI stakeholder identified topic uncertainties.

NHS Health Check programme: a rapid review update.

Objective: To update a rapid review published in 2017, which evaluated the NHS Health Check programme.

Methods: An enlarged body of evidence was used to readdress six research objectives from a rapid review published in 2017, relating to the uptake, patient experiences and effectiveness of the NHS Health Check programme. Data sources included MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Global Health, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, NHS Evidence, Google Scholar, Google, ClinicalTrials.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet: A Longitudinal Analysis of Social Media Use by Global Diabetes Researchers.

Background: Engaging influential stakeholders in meaningful exchange is essential for pharmaceutical companies aiming to improve care. At a time where opportunities for face-to-face engagement are limited, the ability to interact, learn and generate actionable insights through digital channels such as Twitter, is of considerable value.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate digital engagement among global diabetes mellitus researchers.