The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews

Summary

Systematic reviews serve many critical roles. They can provide syntheses of the state of knowledge in a field, from which future research priorities can be identified; they can address questions that otherwise could not be answered by individual studies; they can identify problems in primary research that should be rectified in future studies; and they can generate or evaluate theories about how or why phenomena occur. Systematic reviews therefore generate various types of knowledge for different users of reviews (such as patients, healthcare providers, researchers, and policy makers).[https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003583#pmed.1003583.ref001,https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003583#pmed.1003583.ref002]To ensure a systematic review is valuable to users, authors should prepare a transparent, complete, and accurate account of why the review was done, what they did (such as how studies were identified and selected) and what they found (such as characteristics of contributing studies and results of meta-analyses). Up-to-date reporting guidance facilitates authors achieving this.[https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003583#pmed.1003583.ref003]

Key Points

• 1The PRISMA twenty twenty statement replaces the original 2009 guideline to enhance systematic review reporting
• 2It includes a twenty-seven-item checklist and abstract checklist for improved transparency
• 3The updated guidance reflects new methodologies for selecting and synthesizing studies
• 4Systematic reviews play a critical role in identifying research priorities and evaluating evidence in various fields
• 5The guidelines are relevant for systematic reviews evaluating health interventions and other areas.

Related articles

• How to Assess the Quality of Qualitative Research

  This article serves as a guide for health care practitioners, educators, and researchers on how to evaluate the quality of qualitative research. It discusses essential characteristics that make a qualitative study high-quality and trustworthy, as well as standards specific to this type of research.

• CHOLEGRAPHY Easy Visual Reviewer - Terms & Definitions Matrix Based on Module

  This document serves as an educational resource on cholegraphy, outlining procedures, indications, contraindications, and care related to the imaging of the biliary system. It is designed as a visual reviewer for learners in health sciences.

• Routine CT Procedures and Related Anatomy Visual Study Reviewer Matrix

  This document serves as a comprehensive reviewer for technologists involved in routine CT examinations, detailing essential procedures, patient preparations, and anatomical landmarks essential for accurate imaging.

• Investigating Genetic Counselors' Inclusion of Sponsored Genetic Testing Programs

  This study aims to investigate genetic counselors' awareness and attitudes toward sponsored genetic testing programs, as well as the factors influencing their decisions to offer these tests to patients. The importance of understanding these dynamics arises amid the growing availability of biopharmaceutical-sponsored genetic tests and the impact of financial considerations on patient access to care.

• Nature-Based Mindfulness: A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Support for Self-Regulation

  This qualitative study investigates how a five-day residential mindfulness program in a natural setting supports self-regulation among university students experiencing stress. Through interviews, the study explores participants' lived experiences and the perceived benefits of the mindfulness retreat.