FAQ SR: Cochrane

What are Cochrane Systematic Reviews?

Cochrane reviews are literature overviews on a specific research question that are reliable and can be trusted. They are reliable because they are performed according to the highest standards in this field. Cochrane is a nonprofit organization that drives on volunteers all over the world. They aim to inform patients, clinicians and policy makers so they can make informed decisions. Informed decisions are based on scientific studies (and thus systematic reviews) instead of beliefs from a doctor, media or whoever. 
Find out more about systematic review in this YouTube video.

What is the Cochrane Library?

Cochrane has several databases to support its mission, i.e. to help people make informed decisions on healthcare. There are now six databases on the Cochrane Library with different types of high quality evidence. One of these is the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which contains all finalized and ongoing Cochrane Reviews.

What is Cochrane CENTRAL?

Cochrane CENTRAL is short for the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, one of the Cochrane Library databases. This database only contains randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials. Cochrane volunteers search for this type of trials in several sources and these are included in CENTRAL. It is the largest database for trials, so if your review includes trials, you may want to search CENTRAL. The database contains abstracts, but no full records.

Cochrane community: Cochrane Review Groups and their networks

If you want to write a Cochrane systematic review, you should contact the Review Group that fits your research question most. Review Groups consist of a number of people who support review authors in preparing, maintaining and updating Cochrane reviews. Specifically, they provide feedback on three products of a review: the title, the protocol and the final review. They check for example whether a review is relevant to decision makers and whether it fulfills Cochrane requirements. Review Groups focus on particular health areas.
Review Group networks cluster review groups with the aim of increasing efficiency and timeliness of Cochrane reviews that address the most important research questions for decision makers. 

These are the eight Cochrane networks and the linked review groups: 

  • Acute and Emergency Care: Acute Respiratory Infections; Anaesthesia; Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma; Emergency and Critical Care, Injuries
  • Brain, Nerves and Mind: Common Mental Disorders; Dementia and Cognitive Improvement; Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems; Drugs and Alcohol, Epilepsy; Movement Disorders; Multiple Sclerosis and rare Diseases of the CNS; Neuromuscular; Schizophrenia
  • Cancer: Breast cancer; Childhood Cancer; Colorectal cancer; Gynaecological; Neuro-oncology and Orphan cancers; Haematological and Malignancies; Lung cancer; Urology cancer
  • Children and families: Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders; Fertility Regulation; Gynaecology and Fertility; Incontinence; Neonatal; Pregnancy and Childbirth; Sexually Transmitted Infections
  • Circulation and Breathing: Airways; Heart; Hypertension; Stroke; Vascular
  • Long-term conditions and Ageing: Hepato-Biliary; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Kidney and Transplant; Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders; Upper GI and Pancreatic Diseases
  • Musculoskeletal, Oral, Skin and Sensory: Back and Neck; Ear, Nose and Throat; Eyes and Vision; Musculoskeletal; Oral Health; Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care; Skin; Wounds
  • Public Health and Health Systems: Consumers and Communication; Effective Practice and Organization of Care; Infectious Diseases; Public Health; Tobacco Addiction; Work

Cochrane community: Cochrane Fields

Cochrane has 11 thematic Fields that focus on broader dimensions of health care, such as the setting of care (primary care), the type of consumer (children, older people), or the type of provider (nursing).
These Fields aim to promote Cochrane as source of evidence, and enhance the dissemination of Cochrane reviews within that specific domain. In addition, they aim to exchange knowledge and ideas. Fields may develop into a global network of stakeholders and individuals involved in production, dissemination, and implementation of evidence based clinical practice.

These fields are:

  • Cochrane Child Health
  • Cochrane Complementary Medicine
  • Cochrane Consumer Network
  • Cochrane First Aid
  • Cochrane Global Ageing
  • Cochrane Insurance Medicine
  • Cochrane Neurosciences
  • Cochrane Nursing Care
  • Cochrane Nutrition
  • Cochrane Pre-hospital and Emergency Care
  • Cochrane Primary Care
  • Cochrane Rehabilitation

Cochrane community: Cochrane Methods Groups

Cochrane Methods Groups develop guidance on specific methods used in the Cochrane Reviews. For example, if you want to focus on adverse events, if you like to include qualitative evidence or if you are interested in incorporating equity in your review. You can visit the websites of the relevant methods groups and find a lot of useful information. You can also contact these groups with specific questions.
Currently, there are 17 groups: 

  • Adverse Effects Methods Group
  • Bias Methods Group
  • Comparing Multiple Interventions Methods Group
  • Economics Methods Group
  • Equity Methods Group
  • GRADEing Methods Group
  • Information Retrieval Methods Group
  • IPD Meta-Analysis Methods Group
  • NRS for Interventions Methods Group
  • Patient Reported Outcomes Methods Group
  • Priority Setting Methods Group
  • Prognosis Methods Group
  • Prospective Meta-Analysis Methods Group
  • Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group
  • Rapid Reviews Methods Group
  • Screening and Diagnostic Tests Methods Group
  • Statistics Methods Group