Cochrane’s COVID-19 living systematic reviews: a mixed-methods study of their conduct, reporting and currency

Cochrane’s COVID-19 living systematic reviews: a mixed-methods study of their conduct, reporting and currency | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 3 September 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Cochrane’s COVID-19 living systematic reviews: a mixed-methods study of their conduct, reporting and currency Authors : Kevindu De Silva 0009-0007-7254-3484 [email protected] , Tari Turner , and Steve McDonald 0000-0003-2832-5205 Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692088.85177393/v1 Published Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods Version of record Peer review timeline 274 views 136 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Background Living systematic reviews (LSRs) should provide up-to-date evidence for priority questions where the evidence maybe uncertain and fast-moving. LSRs featured prominently during COVID-19 and formed part of Cochrane’s response to the pandemic. We conducted a mixed-methods study to describe the characteristics of Cochrane’s COVID-19 living reviews, determine the currency of the included evidence, and evaluate authors’ experiences in conducting and publishing these reviews. Methods We identified living reviews of COVID-19 from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and extracted data on the number of versions published and publication timelines. We assessed the currency of evidence by comparing studies included in the reviews against a comprehensive list of studies maintained for the Australian living guidelines for COVID-19. The qualitative component involved semi-structured interviews with review authors to identify the barriers and enablers to conducting, reporting and publishing living reviews. Findings Cochrane published 25 COVID-19 living systematic reviews. Half of these reviews had not been updated when assessed in June 2023 and only four had been updated more than once. A total of 118 studies were included in the living reviews. We estimated that an additional 119 studies were available and potentially relevant for inclusion. Interviews with six authors indicated that publication timelines were reduced by editorial delays, loss of funding, waning commitment, and the burden of screening search results. An inability to communicate the living status of reviews in the Cochrane Library was a common frustration for many authors. Although authors felt the conclusions of their reviews were still current, only one living review communicated its update status and made new evidence accessible after the review was published. Conclusions Maintaining and communicating the currency of Cochrane’s COVID-19 living systematic reviews was not feasible for many author teams because of author-side, editorial and platform barriers. Supplementary Material File (cochrane covid-19 living systematic reviews.docx) Download 104.06 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 03 September 2025 Peer review timeline Published Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods Version of Record 28 Mar 2025 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods Keyword covid-19 Authors Affiliations Kevindu De Silva 0009-0007-7254-3484 [email protected] Cochrane Australia View all articles by this author Tari Turner Monash University View all articles by this author Steve McDonald 0000-0003-2832-5205 Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 274 views 136 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Kevindu De Silva, Tari Turner, Steve McDonald. Cochrane’s COVID-19 living systematic reviews: a mixed-methods study of their conduct, reporting and currency. Authorea . 03 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692088.85177393/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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