Report of Three days training on “Introduction to Systematic Review of Health Research: Short Course”

Training details:

Title: Introduction to Systematic Review of Health Research: Short Course
Date and time: 8th-10th April, 2018; 09.30am-5.00pm
Venue: Seminar room 2, Technical Training Unit, icddr,b
Participants: Mid level researchers of icddr,b
Total participants: 22
Organized by: Technical Training Unit, icddr,b, Systematic Review Centre (SRC), DPHI, BSMMU and EU supported SHARE Project of Health Systems and Population Studies Division, icddr,b, Dhaka

List of participants:

22 mid level researchers of icddr,b and participants from Gob attended the session.

1 Md. Reaz Khan Babar – Senior Research Officer, IDD
2 Sazzad Hossain Khan – Senior Field Research Officer, IDD
3 Tania Naushin – Senior Research Officer, IDD
4 Sabrina Saba Mumu – Project Research Physician, IDD
5 Md. Rayhanul Islam – Medical Technologist (Laboratory) LSSD
6 Tania Jahir – Senior Research Officer, IDD
7 Aazia Hossain – Office Manager, HSPSD
8 Shema Mhajabin – Research Trainee, MCHD
9 Ayesha Afrin – Research Fellow, IDD
10 Tarana-E-Ferdous – Research Investigator, MCHD
11 Md. Shabab Hossain – Project Research Physician, NCSD
12 Md. Arifuzzaman Khan – Senior Research Investigator, IDD
13 Md. Shariful Amin Sumon – Field Research Officer, IDD
14 Md. Tariqujjaman – Research Trainee, NCSD
15 Dipika Shankar Bhattacharyya – Research Investigator, HSPSD
16 Shebab Md. Billal – Clinical Fellow, NCSD
17 Rafiqul Islam – Senior Research Officer, MCHD
18 Md. Jahin Abdullah – Clinical Fellow, NCSD
19 Mohammad Saiful Alam Bhuiyan – Research Investigator, MCHD
20 Mr. Shafiur Rahman – Senior Library Officer CS
21 Mr. Harun-Or-Rashid Senior – Library Officer CS
22 Dr. Mohammad Rashidul Alam – Deputy Program Manager DGHS

A. List of Facilitators:
1. Dr. Shahed Hossain; icddr,b
2. Dr. K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman; icddr,b
3. Mr. Razib Mamun; icddr,b
4. Dr. Shakila Banu; icddr,b
5. Mr. Al Mamun; icddr,b
6. Prof. Malabika Sarker, JPGSPH
7. Md. Hasan; BSMMU

B. List of observers:
1. Prof. Syed Shariful Islam, Dean, Preventive & Social Medicine and Chairman, Department of Public Health and Informatics, BSMMU
2. Dr. Aftab Uddin, Head, Technical Training Unit, icddr,b
3. Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Technical Training Unit, icddr,b

C. Description of training:
Day 1: 8th April, 2018
In the welcome speech, Prof. Syed Shariful Islam (Dean, Preventive & Social Medicine and Chairman Department of Public Health and Informatics, BSMMU) prioritized the necessity of evidence synthesis in current context. Dr. Aftab Uddin presented the objective of the workshop. After the introductory session, a “pre-test” question paper was given to the participants for assessing their existing knowledge on the topics outlined in the sessions. After that, the scheduled sessions were conducted by respective facilitators as follows:
Day-1 (Sunday), 8 April 2018
Time Topic Subtopics Facilitator
8.30-9.00 Registration Mohammod Rafiqul Islam
9:00-9:10 Inaugural session What is expected/Why Important Dr. Aftab Uddin
Dr. Shahed Hossain
9:10-9:30 Pre test Dr. Habibur Rahman
9:30-10:30
Introduction to course – Statistics in Medicine and Public health
– Study Design Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
10.30-10.45 Tea
10.45-11.30
Introduction to course – Introduction and rationale Types of reviews
– Why do SRs?
– Components of SR Dr. Shahed Hossain

11.30-12.30
Introduction to course – Identify review focus
– Formulate review question
– Develop a review protocol Dr. Shahed Hossain

12.30-1.00 Group work on examining a systematic review (Paper) All Faculty
1.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-4.00 Gathering
evidences – Sources of evidence for systematic reviews
– Searching for literature Developing a search strategy Conducting search
– Managing search and search outcomes Md Al Mamun
4.00-4.15 Tea
4.15-5.00 Group work on search All faculty

Participants enjoyed each session with enthusiasm. Hands-on training were provided in literature search session. The observers and participants provided their feedback after each interactive session.
Sessions of Day 1 was adjourned at 5.00 pm.
Critical thinking and reading of scientific articles were emphasized in the group-work.
Day 2: 9th April, 2018
The 2nd day of the training session started with a recap session moderated by Dr. K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman. After the short recap by the training participants, scheduled sessions were conducted by respective facilitators as follows:
Day-2 (Monday), 9 April 2018
Time Topic Subtopics Facilitator
9.00-9.30 Recap of Day-1 Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman

9.30-10.30 Data
Abstraction/ Screening of studies – Screening literature
– Inclusion/ Exclusion/ Coding Mr. Razib Mamun
10.30-11.00 Tea
11.00-12.30 Data Management – Critical appraisal Approach to analysis Dr. Shahed Hossain
Dr. Shakila Banu
Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
Mr. Razib Mamun
12.30-1.00 Demonstration/ Group work All faculty
1.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-3.00
– Bias in studies
– Bias reporting Dr. Shakila Banu
Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
3.00-4.00 Quality assessment included studies – Qualitative studies
– Quantitative Studies
– Mixed Studies Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
4.00-4.15 Tea
4.15-5.00 Group exercise: Quality Assessment (ROB) All faculty

Day 3: 10th April, 2018
The 3rd day of the training session started with a recap session moderated by Dr. K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman. After the short recap by the training participants, scheduled sessions were conducted by respective facilitators as follows:
Day-3 (Tuesday), 10 April 2018
Time Topic Subtopics Facilitator
9:00-9:30 Recap of Day- 2 Dr. K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman
9.30-10.30 Approach to synthesis – Qualitative approaches: Framework analysis Dr. Malabika Sarker
10.30-11.00 Tea
11.00-12.30 Approach to synthesis – Approach to Narrative Synthesis Dr. Malabika Sarker
12.30-1.00 Meta analysis – Approach to Meta-Analysis
– Quantitative Approaches Mr. Md. Hasan
Dr.K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
1.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-4.00 Meta analysis – Meta-Analysis & Products Mr. Md. Hasan
Dr. K.M.Saif-Ur-Rahman
Mr. Rajib Mamun
4.00-4.15 Tea
4:15-4:30 Post test Dr. Habibur Rahman
4.30-5.00 Closing session Evaluation, feedback from participants, and certificate distribution All Faculty

Hands on training on meta analysis using meta analysis software was conducted in the group-work. The observers and participants provided their feedback after each interactive session.
Sessions of Day 3 was adjourned at 5.00 pm.
A post test was conducted at the end of the sessions.
Feedback on the training:
– Participants appreciated the training a lot and demanded for advanced training on meta analysis.
– Participants appreciated the content of the session especially critical appraisal, assessment of risk of bias and meta-analysis.
– A suggestion was made to make a cohort with to follow up for conducting advanced training on protocol writing and conducting systematic review
Closing remarks:
At the end of the training, Dr. Aftab Uddin (Head, TTU) appreciated the effort of Dr. Iqbal and his team (SHARE) for making this collaboration possible. Dr. Iqbal expressed his interest to contribute more for strengthening capacity of researchers on evidence synthesis. Ms. Armana Ahmed (Head, research Administration) thanked TTU, SHARE project and the facilitators for conducting the training.

The three-day training session was ended at 4.30 pm, 10th April, 2018.