Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature
Abstract Background An increasing number of evaluations of social accountability (SA) interventions have been published in the past decade, however, reporting gaps make it difficult to summarize findings. We developed the Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research) checklist to suppo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Equity in Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-022-01716-2 |
| _version_ | 1797275447590912000 |
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| author | Joan Marie Kraft Ligia Paina Victoria Boydell Shatha Elnakib Andreas Sihotang Angela Bailey Courtney Tolmie |
| author_facet | Joan Marie Kraft Ligia Paina Victoria Boydell Shatha Elnakib Andreas Sihotang Angela Bailey Courtney Tolmie |
| author_sort | Joan Marie Kraft |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background An increasing number of evaluations of social accountability (SA) interventions have been published in the past decade, however, reporting gaps make it difficult to summarize findings. We developed the Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research) checklist to support researchers to improve the documentation of SA processes, context, study designs, and outcomes in the peer reviewed literature and to enhance application of findings. Methods We used a multi-step process, starting with an umbrella review of reviews on SA to identify reporting gaps. Next, we reviewed existing guidelines for reporting on behavioral interventions to determine whether one could be used in its current or adapted form. We received feedback from practitioners and researchers and tested the checklist through three worked examples using outcome papers from three SA projects. Results Our umbrella review of SA studies identified reporting gaps in all areas, including gaps in reporting on the context, intervention components, and study methods. Because no existing guidelines called for details on context and the complex processes in SA interventions, we used CONSORT-SPI as the basis for the SAR4Research checklist, and adapted it using other existing checklists to fill gaps. Feedback from practitioners, researchers and the worked examples suggested the need to eliminate redundancies, add explanations for items, and clarify reporting for quantitative and qualitative study components. Conclusions Results of SA evaluations in the peer-reviewed literature will be more useful, facilitating learning and application of findings, when study designs, interventions and their context are described fully in one or a set of papers. This checklist will help authors report better in peer-reviewed journal articles. With sufficient information, readers will better understand whether the results can inform accountability strategies in their own contexts. As a field, we will be better able to identify emerging findings and gaps in our understanding of SA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:14:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db28826e687e4b13a402bf5144b2d33d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-9276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:14:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Equity in Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-db28826e687e4b13a402bf5144b2d33d2024-03-05T18:01:26ZengBMCInternational Journal for Equity in Health1475-92762022-08-0121S111710.1186/s12939-022-01716-2Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literatureJoan Marie Kraft0Ligia Paina1Victoria Boydell2Shatha Elnakib3Andreas Sihotang4Angela Bailey5Courtney Tolmie6Office of Population and Reproductive Health, United States Agency for International DevelopmentDepartment of International Health, Health Systems Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Public HealthSchool of Health and Social Care, University of EssexDepartment of International Health, Health Systems Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Public HealthHarry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of MissouriAccountability Research Center, American UniversityWonderlight ConsultingAbstract Background An increasing number of evaluations of social accountability (SA) interventions have been published in the past decade, however, reporting gaps make it difficult to summarize findings. We developed the Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research) checklist to support researchers to improve the documentation of SA processes, context, study designs, and outcomes in the peer reviewed literature and to enhance application of findings. Methods We used a multi-step process, starting with an umbrella review of reviews on SA to identify reporting gaps. Next, we reviewed existing guidelines for reporting on behavioral interventions to determine whether one could be used in its current or adapted form. We received feedback from practitioners and researchers and tested the checklist through three worked examples using outcome papers from three SA projects. Results Our umbrella review of SA studies identified reporting gaps in all areas, including gaps in reporting on the context, intervention components, and study methods. Because no existing guidelines called for details on context and the complex processes in SA interventions, we used CONSORT-SPI as the basis for the SAR4Research checklist, and adapted it using other existing checklists to fill gaps. Feedback from practitioners, researchers and the worked examples suggested the need to eliminate redundancies, add explanations for items, and clarify reporting for quantitative and qualitative study components. Conclusions Results of SA evaluations in the peer-reviewed literature will be more useful, facilitating learning and application of findings, when study designs, interventions and their context are described fully in one or a set of papers. This checklist will help authors report better in peer-reviewed journal articles. With sufficient information, readers will better understand whether the results can inform accountability strategies in their own contexts. As a field, we will be better able to identify emerging findings and gaps in our understanding of SA.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-022-01716-2Reporting checklistsocial accountabilityevaluationIndonesiaUganda |
| spellingShingle | Joan Marie Kraft Ligia Paina Victoria Boydell Shatha Elnakib Andreas Sihotang Angela Bailey Courtney Tolmie Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature International Journal for Equity in Health Reporting checklist social accountability evaluation Indonesia Uganda |
| title | Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| title_full | Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| title_fullStr | Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| title_short | Social Accountability Reporting for Research (SAR4Research): checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| title_sort | social accountability reporting for research sar4research checklist to strengthen reporting on studies on social accountability in the literature |
| topic | Reporting checklist social accountability evaluation Indonesia Uganda |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-022-01716-2 |
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