ESMARConf2023: Workshop 10 - How the FEAT framework can help you

Coordinators: Geoff Frampton and Paul Whaley
Title: How the FEAT framework can help you select study appraisal tools suitable for your systematic review
Abstract: Critical appraisal is a complex and challenging stage of systematic review. Published systematic reviews vary widely in whether and how they have assessed their included studies, and how the assessments were applied to inform their conclusions. For example, 85% of SRs in toxicology and environmental health have clear issues with the rigour of the appraisal methods they apply (Menon et al. 2022; Whaley & Roth 2022), and more than half of SRs in the CEEDER environmental management database have conducted no appraisal at all (Pullen et al. 2022). Part of the reason for inconsistency in study assessment is that choosing or adapting appraisal tools is very challenging. Many tools exist, they ask different questions, and they were developed for different contexts. Many appraisal instruments also do not differentiate between risk of bias and other aspects of study validity or “quality”. How is a SR author to choose a tool that is appropriate, or modify a tool so that it successfully supports the appraisal task they need to do?
To answer that question, this workshop will present the “FEAT” criteria (standing for the Focus, Extent, Application, and Transparency). FEAT is a new general conceptual framework for structuring the critical appraisal of research. It was recently included in CEE Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Synthesis in Environmental Management (Pullen et al. (eds) 2022, Chapter 7).
Participants will be taken through interactive examples of using FEAT in critiquing and modifying appraisal tools for risk of bias assessment in a systematic review. Participants will also be able to contribute to the development of a FEAT checklist that will help researchers consistently and transparently assess and modify appraisal tools for use in SRs.

Learning objectives:
Understand the rationale for and requirements of critical appraisal in evidence reviews, including acquiring knowledge of the limitations of critical appraisal in current evidence reviews
Be able to use the FEAT Framework to identify appropriate critical appraisal tools when planning the critical appraisal process for an evidence review
Have the opportunity to contribute ideas to the development of a checklist to assist reviewers in selecting critical appraisal tools in systematic reviews

Audience:
Anyone who conducts critical appraisal of studies included in evidence reviews (not necessarily limited to systematic reviews). No prior experience of conducting critical appraisal is needed. As we will be presenting a new conceptual approach for critical appraisal, the workshop should be of interest to those experienced at critical appraisal as well as those with less experience.

Requirements:
None

Links:
https://environmentalevidencejournal....