This session, part of the Statistical analysis in systematic reviews series, will give a short, non-technical, introduction to meta-analysis, which is the statistical method used for combining results across studies in a systematic review.
It will explain what a meta-analysis is and why it is used, and examine how meta-analyses are presented in Cochrane reviews in the form of forest plots.
This session is for anyone involved in producing a Cochrane review who wants to learn more about the statistical components of a review. It is primarily aimed at Cochrane authors and trainers from Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs), although anyone is welcome to attend.
Presenter Bio
Dr Mark Simmonds is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of York, UK and a UK Co-convenor of the Cochrane Statistical Methods Group. Mark has over 20 years’ experience in research into meta-analysis methods and practice. His research has a particular focus on individual participant data reviews, living systematic reviews, and understanding heterogeneity.
