A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review
BackgroundAmid all public health measures to contain COVID-19, the most challenging has been how to break the transmission chain. This has been even more challenging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A public health emergency warrants a public health perspective, w...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2023-01-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e41132 |
| _version_ | 1797734602699177984 |
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| author | Mathew Mbwogge Pratyush Kumar Kumar Abhishek |
| author_facet | Mathew Mbwogge Pratyush Kumar Kumar Abhishek |
| author_sort | Mathew Mbwogge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundAmid all public health measures to contain COVID-19, the most challenging has been how to break the transmission chain. This has been even more challenging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A public health emergency warrants a public health perspective, which comes down to prevention. Rapid mass testing has been advocated throughout the pandemic as a way to promptly deal with asymptomatic infections, but its usefulness in LMICs is yet to be fully understood.
ObjectiveThe study objectives of this paper are to (1) investigate the impact of the different rapid mass testing options for SARS-CoV-2 that have been delivered at point of care in LMICs and (2) evaluate the diagnostic safety (accuracy) of rapid mass testing for SARS-CoV-2 in LMICs.
MethodsThis review will systematically search records in PubMed, EBSCOhost, Cochrane library, Global Index Medicus COVID-19 Register, and Scopus. Records will be managed using Mendeley reference manager and SWIFT-Review. Risk of bias for randomized controlled trials will be assessed using the RoB 2 assessment tool, while nonrandomized interventions will be assessed using the tool developed by the Evidence Project. A narrative approach will be used to synthesize data under the first objective, and either a meta-analysis or synthesis without meta-analysis for the second objective. Tables, figures, and textual descriptions will be used to present findings. The overall body of evidence for the first objective will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation–Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) approach, and for the second objective using GRADE.
ResultsThe screening of records has been finalized. We hope to finalize the synthesis by the end of February 2023 and to prepare the manuscript for publication by April 2023. The study will be reported in accordance with standard guidelines for the reporting of systematic reviews. Review results will be disseminated through conferences and their peer-reviewed publication in a relevant journal.
ConclusionsThis review highlights the role of a preventive approach in infection control using rapid mass testing. It also flags the overriding need to involve users and providers in the evaluation of such tests in the settings for which they are intended. This will be the first review to the best of our knowledge to generate both qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding rapid mass testing specific to LMICs.
Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42022283776; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=283776
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/41132 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:45:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bbc7f45b1a0f469591d56febdc0b5826 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:45:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj.art-bbc7f45b1a0f469591d56febdc0b58262023-08-28T23:23:16ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482023-01-0112e4113210.2196/41132A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic ReviewMathew Mbwoggehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0594-1937Pratyush Kumarhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5275-1952Kumar Abhishekhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4402-3856 BackgroundAmid all public health measures to contain COVID-19, the most challenging has been how to break the transmission chain. This has been even more challenging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A public health emergency warrants a public health perspective, which comes down to prevention. Rapid mass testing has been advocated throughout the pandemic as a way to promptly deal with asymptomatic infections, but its usefulness in LMICs is yet to be fully understood. ObjectiveThe study objectives of this paper are to (1) investigate the impact of the different rapid mass testing options for SARS-CoV-2 that have been delivered at point of care in LMICs and (2) evaluate the diagnostic safety (accuracy) of rapid mass testing for SARS-CoV-2 in LMICs. MethodsThis review will systematically search records in PubMed, EBSCOhost, Cochrane library, Global Index Medicus COVID-19 Register, and Scopus. Records will be managed using Mendeley reference manager and SWIFT-Review. Risk of bias for randomized controlled trials will be assessed using the RoB 2 assessment tool, while nonrandomized interventions will be assessed using the tool developed by the Evidence Project. A narrative approach will be used to synthesize data under the first objective, and either a meta-analysis or synthesis without meta-analysis for the second objective. Tables, figures, and textual descriptions will be used to present findings. The overall body of evidence for the first objective will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation–Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) approach, and for the second objective using GRADE. ResultsThe screening of records has been finalized. We hope to finalize the synthesis by the end of February 2023 and to prepare the manuscript for publication by April 2023. The study will be reported in accordance with standard guidelines for the reporting of systematic reviews. Review results will be disseminated through conferences and their peer-reviewed publication in a relevant journal. ConclusionsThis review highlights the role of a preventive approach in infection control using rapid mass testing. It also flags the overriding need to involve users and providers in the evaluation of such tests in the settings for which they are intended. This will be the first review to the best of our knowledge to generate both qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding rapid mass testing specific to LMICs. Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42022283776; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=283776 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/41132https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e41132 |
| spellingShingle | Mathew Mbwogge Pratyush Kumar Kumar Abhishek A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review |
| title_full | A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review |
| title_short | A Metasynthesis and Meta-analysis of the Impact and Diagnostic Safety of COVID-19 Symptom Agnostic Rapid Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review |
| title_sort | metasynthesis and meta analysis of the impact and diagnostic safety of covid 19 symptom agnostic rapid testing in low and middle income countries protocol for a systematic review |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e41132 |
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