Nicola Veronese1, Gabriel Torbahn2, Jacopo Demurtas3, Charlotte Beaudart4, Pinar Soysal5, Alessandra Marengoni6, Susan D Shenkin7, Mirko Petrovic8, Cornel C Sieber2, Antonio Cherubini9, Lee Smith10, Stefania Maggi11. 1. Geriatric Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. ilmannato@gmail.com. 2. Institute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany. 3. Clinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. 4. Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. 5. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey. 6. Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. 7. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. 8. Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Section of Geriatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 9. Geriatria, Accettazione geriatrica e Centro di ricerca per l'invecchiamento, IRCCS INRCA, Ancona, Italy. 10. The Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK. 11. National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Aging Branch, Padua, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: There has been an exponential increase in meta-research, especially in the branch dealing with systematic reviews [SRs] and meta-analyses [MAs]. However, the knowledge regarding these topics in geriatric medicine is still poorly explored. We therefore undertook a survey of the current knowledge and needs in meta-research in geriatrics. METHODS: A short survey (taking approximately 5 min to complete) was freely available on the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) website and disseminated via social networks by the EuGMS and the authors of the survey. The questionnaire was available during the whole year of 2019. The questionnaire specifically addressed demographic information, previous research activities and the knowledge of the participants on meta-research in geriatric medicine. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 291 participants from 36 different countries of about 20,000 EuGMS members (mostly with an age between 55 and 64 years; 51.5% female; mainly from Italy and Germany). Most respondents (65.6%) reported reading more than 20 articles in the past year, but few (36.4%) read more than 10 SRs/MAs. Participants reported that SRs and/or MAs are important in clinical practice: 83.8% giving a score of > 6/10, and 23.0% reporting 10. The large majority of the participants asked for more education in meta-research. In particular, there is need for educational courses for meta-research in geriatric medicine, online or in person, organized by the EuGMS. CONCLUSION: Our survey shows that interest in SRs/MAs is high, and there is a demand for education on these topics in relation to geriatric medicine.
PURPOSE: There has been an exponential increase in meta-research, especially in the branch dealing with systematic reviews [SRs] and meta-analyses [MAs]. However, the knowledge regarding these topics in geriatric medicine is still poorly explored. We therefore undertook a survey of the current knowledge and needs in meta-research in geriatrics. METHODS: A short survey (taking approximately 5 min to complete) was freely available on the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) website and disseminated via social networks by the EuGMS and the authors of the survey. The questionnaire was available during the whole year of 2019. The questionnaire specifically addressed demographic information, previous research activities and the knowledge of the participants on meta-research in geriatric medicine. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 291 participants from 36 different countries of about 20,000 EuGMS members (mostly with an age between 55 and 64 years; 51.5% female; mainly from Italy and Germany). Most respondents (65.6%) reported reading more than 20 articles in the past year, but few (36.4%) read more than 10 SRs/MAs. Participants reported that SRs and/or MAs are important in clinical practice: 83.8% giving a score of > 6/10, and 23.0% reporting 10. The large majority of the participants asked for more education in meta-research. In particular, there is need for educational courses for meta-research in geriatric medicine, online or in person, organized by the EuGMS. CONCLUSION: Our survey shows that interest in SRs/MAs is high, and there is a demand for education on these topics in relation to geriatric medicine.