Healthcare Management Program, School of Economics & Management, Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia 2220, Cyprus.
Medicina (Kaunas). 2024 Oct 5;60(10):1629. doi: 10.3390/medicina60101629.
Given the plethora of studies today that focus on the same topic, clinicians and other healthcare professionals increasingly rely on meta-analysis to aid in their evidence-based decision-making. This research method, which combines data from multiple studies to produce a single, more precise estimate of effect size, is invaluable for synthesizing evidence, resolving inconsistencies and guiding clinical practice and public health policies. Especially in disease prevention and control, meta-analysis has emerged as a critical tool. Meta-analysis is particularly valuable in assessing the effectiveness of preventive interventions such as vaccines, lifestyle modifications and screening programs. It provides robust evidence that supports the implementation of effective preventive measures and the discontinuation of ineffective or harmful ones. Furthermore, meta-analysis provides evidence to develop clinical practice guidelines, ensuring patients receive evidence-based treatments. In addition, public health policies aimed at disease prevention and control often rely on evidence from meta-analyses, which provide the data needed to justify and design large-scale public health initiatives. This comprehensive review delves into the role of meta-analysis in disease prevention and control, exploring its advantages, applications, challenges and overall impact on guiding clinical practice and public health policies. Through case studies and an examination of future directions, this paper underscores the pivotal role of meta-analysis in disease prevention and control.
鉴于当今有大量研究都集中在同一个主题上，临床医生和其他医疗保健专业人员越来越依赖荟萃分析来帮助他们做出基于证据的决策。这种将多个研究的数据合并为一个单一、更精确的效应量估计值的研究方法，对于综合证据、解决不一致性以及指导临床实践和公共卫生政策至关重要。特别是在疾病预防和控制方面，荟萃分析已成为一种关键工具。荟萃分析在评估预防干预措施（如疫苗、生活方式改变和筛查计划）的效果方面特别有价值。它提供了有力的证据，支持实施有效的预防措施，并停止无效或有害的措施。此外，荟萃分析为制定临床实践指南提供了证据，确保患者接受基于证据的治疗。此外，旨在预防和控制疾病的公共卫生政策通常依赖于荟萃分析的证据，这些证据提供了制定大规模公共卫生倡议所需的数据。本综述深入探讨了荟萃分析在疾病预防和控制中的作用，探讨了其优势、应用、挑战以及对指导临床实践和公共卫生政策的总体影响。通过案例研究和对未来方向的考察，本文强调了荟萃分析在疾病预防和控制中的关键作用。
