Rapid Review
Assessment of what is already known about a policy or practice issue, by using systematic review methods to search and critically appraise existing research.
SEARCH is determined by time constraints.
APPRAISAL is a time-limited formal quality assessment.
SYNTHESIS is narrative and tabular.
ANALYSIS includes quantities of literature and overall quality/direction of effect of literature.
Source: A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Grant MJ & Booth A. Health information and Libraries Journal year: 2009 26(2):91 -108. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x.
Things to consider for Rapid Review
What is the focus of the review?
Consider depth versus breadth
- Deep - an in-depth analysis of a small set of evidence literature
- Broad - a brief overview of a larger number of studies that address the topic
What is the scope of the review?
- Consider depth - will the scope be very narrow but deep or will the scope be broad by more shallow?
- What limits would be applicable? - geographic or other setting, range of years, types of studies
How many studies?
- What would be a reasonable number of studies to consider based on time and resources?
- Consider narrowing or broadening your search accordingly
What outcomes are you most interested in?
How will studies be assessed for quality and what data will be collected?
Will data be analyzed qualitatively (Meta-analysis) or quantitatively through narration?
Doing Rapid Reviews
- Advancing knowledge of rapid reviewsFeatherstone RM, et al. Advancing knowledge of rapid reviews: an analysis of results, conclusions and recommendations from published review articles examining rapid reviews.
- Cochrane Methods Rapid ReviewsThe Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group (RRMG) has developed provisional rapid review methods recommendations for Cochrane and others in the wider knowledge synthesis community to use.
- Rapid Review GuidebookThe National Collaborating Centre of Methods and Tools (NCCMT) has developed a Rapid Review Guidebook that details each step in the rapid review process, with notes on how to tailor the process given resource limitations.
- Rapid Reviews to strengthen healtlh policy and systemsWorld Health Organization, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
- A scoping review of rapid review methodsTricco AC, et al. A scoping review of rapid review methods. BMC Med. 2015;13(1):1-15. doi:10.1186/s12916-015-0465-6
- STARR Decision ToolRapid Review decision tool
- The Use of Rapid Review Methods for the U.S. Preventive Services Task ForcePatnode CD, et al. The Use of Rapid Review Methods for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2018;54(1, Supplement 1):S19-S25. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2017.07.024