The CERQual Approach for assessing confidence in synthesised findings of qualitative research

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The CERQual Approach for assessing confidence in synthesised findings of qualitative research

Nurse Researchers are prolific producers of qualitative studies and qualitative evidence syntheses. Assessing confidence in the specific findings coming from qualitative evidence syntheses (i.e. systematic reviews of qualitative studies) can help decision-makers make best use of the evidence from qualitative research.  The CERQual approach was established in 2010 and offers a transparent and systematic way for review authors to assess how much confidence they have in the individual findings of evidence syntheses on the basis of four components: Methodological Limitations, Relevance, Data Adequacy, and Coherence. The approach has been applied  to a number of reviews including two commissioned by the WHO: one on the worldwide experience of abuse of women during childbirth (Bohren et.al. 2015) and the other on task-shifting for medical abortion (Access published guidelines here). Those wanting more information or planning to undertake a qualitative evidence synthesis are invited to visit our website and join our mailing list: www.cerqual.org.