Background

Health care policy and practice decisions should be based on a synthesis of the global body of evidence rather than relying on individual studies. Cochrane Ireland and Evidence Synthesis Ireland promote evidence based healthcare policy and practice by supporting high quality, relevant systematic reviews and other synthesised research evidence.

Aim

This two-day workshop will provide knowledge and practical experience of undertaking mixed-methods evidence synthesis. It will cover the underpinning logic of mixed-method evidence synthesis, the range of possible approaches, and the benefits, procedures and challenges associated with the different approaches.

Learning outcomes

In this course, participants will be enabled to:

• Understand why mixed-method synthesis is suited to answering the kinds of complex questions addressed in policy and practice decision-making.
  
  
• Recognise the spectrum of approaches for integrating the findings from qualitative and quantitative research.
  
  
• Experience the procedures for (and challenges associated with) integrating research from diverse epistemological standpoints
  
  

Teaching strategies

The workshop will consist of a series of sessions with each involving some presentation and some hands-on activity. The presentations will include worked examples to illustrate the range of approaches to mixed-methods evidence synthesis. The hands-on activities will allow students to try out different aspects of conducting a mixed-methods evidence synthesis as well as providing an opportunity to ask questions and share what they have learned with others on the course.

Course content/timetable

Day 1

09:00 Arrival and registration

09:30 Session 1: Course overview and introductions

10:45 Break

11:00 Session 2: Approach 1 - Explanatory sequential synthesis – example children and healthy eating

12.15 Session 3: Policy relevant evidence and complexity: how mixed-methods can help

13:00 Lunch

13:45 Session 4: Diversity in approaches and purposes of mixed-methods reviews

14:30 Session 5: Approach 2 - Exploratory sequential synthesis

15:30 Break

15.45 Session 6: Challenges in conducting and communicating mixed-method reviews

16.30 Close

Day 2

09:00 Arrival

09:30 Session 7: Searching for studies

10.30 Session 8: Approach 3 - Data-based convergent syntheses – example realist synthesis

11:30 Break

11:45 Session 9: Approach 4 - Results-based convergent synthesis – example Adverse childhood experiences

13:00 Lunch

13:45 Session 10: New approaches - simultaneously quantitative and qualitative synthesis – Weight management

14.45 Break

15:00 Session 11: Wrap up and whole-group discussion

16:00 Close

Facilitator

Dr Katy Sutcliffe, Deputy Director Department of Health and Social Care Policy Reviews Facility, EPPI-Centre, UCL Institute of Education.