New AHRQ Series Provides Guidance for Conducting Systematic Reviews on Complex Interventions

Seven AHRQ-supported articles published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology provide practical tools and guidance to address the unique challenges of developing systematic reviews of complex health care interventions. Complex interventions address challenges such as changing behavior to prevent diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity; tackling the medical, social and health care factors contributing to health outcomes including opioid addiction; and improving health care quality and safety. Interpreting and applying the results of research about complex interventions may be challenging, according to study authors. The new AHRQ-funded articles follow a 2015 AHRQ meeting that assembled 57 experts and built on the agency’s previous work related to research methods. Post-meeting work groups organized by AHRQ’s Evidence-based Practice Center Program developed articles based on key meeting themes. The articles are intended to help researchers design and conduct systematic reviews to better answer important clinical, policy and research questions; improve the usefulness of reviews; and better inform health care decision-making and improve outcomes. Access more information about the articles.