Munthe-Kaas Heather M, Booth Andrew, Sommer Isolde, Cooper Sara, Garside Ruth, Hannes Karin, Noyes Jane
Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo Norway.
Sheffield Centre for Health & Related Research (SCHARR) University of Sheffield Sheffield UK.
Cochrane Evid Synth Methods. 2024 Jun 8;2(6):e12058. doi: 10.1002/cesm.12058. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Qualitative evidence is increasingly incorporated into decision-making processes. Assessing the methodological limitations of primary studies is critical to making an overall assessment of confidence in findings from qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) using GRADE-CERQual. Current critical appraisal tools were not developed specifically for use in Cochrane reviews or GRADE-CERQual, and few are evidence-based. The aim of CochrAne qualitative Methodological LimitatiOns Tool (CAMELOT) was to address this gap.
We undertook this project in four stages: (1) systematic literature search to identify existing tools, (2) identification of evidence to support inclusion of potential CAMELOT domains (3) consensus survey to agree on the inclusion and definition of CAMELOT domains, and (4) human-centered design approach to develop and refine CAMELOT by exploring user experience.
CAMELOT is a new evidence-based tool for assessing the methodological strengths and limitations of primary qualitative research studies in a QES. CAMELOT is comprised of 12 domains: four that encourage review authors to consider those characteristics of the primary study that are beyond how the study was carried out, but which inform the conduct and design of the study, and eight which encourage review authors to consider how the study was designed, planned and/or conducted, and how study conduct and design fits with the information provided in the four meta domains. Review authors make an assessment by identifying any concerns regarding the methods used in the study and considering the appropriateness of fit between the and .
CAMELOT provides review authors with a transparent and systematic method to assess methodological limitations of primary qualitative studies. CAMELOT incorporates qualitative principles and focuses on appropriateness of fit between and . In line with iterative tool development approach, CAMELOT will continue to be revised over time following extensive user testing and piloting.
定性证据越来越多地被纳入决策过程。评估原始研究的方法学局限性对于使用GRADE-CERQual对定性证据综合（QES）的研究结果进行总体信心评估至关重要。当前的批判性评价工具并非专门为Cochrane综述或GRADE-CERQual而开发，而且很少有基于证据的。Cochrane定性方法学局限性工具（CAMELOT）的目的就是解决这一差距。
我们分四个阶段开展了这个项目：（1）系统的文献检索以识别现有工具；（2）识别支持纳入潜在CAMELOT领域的证据；（3）进行共识调查以就CAMELOT领域的纳入和定义达成一致；（4）采用以人为本的设计方法，通过探索用户体验来开发和完善CAMELOT。
CAMELOT是一种新的基于证据的工具，用于评估QES中原始定性研究的方法学优势和局限性。CAMELOT由12个领域组成：4个领域鼓励综述作者考虑原始研究的那些特征，这些特征超出了研究的实施方式，但为研究的实施和设计提供了信息；8个领域鼓励综述作者考虑研究的设计、规划和/或实施方式，以及研究的实施和设计如何与四个元领域中提供的信息相匹配。综述作者通过识别对研究中使用的方法的任何担忧，并考虑[此处原文缺失相关内容，可能影响准确理解，推测是某些元素之间]之间的匹配度是否合适来进行评估。
CAMELOT为综述作者提供了一种透明且系统的方法来评估原始定性研究的方法学局限性。CAMELOT纳入了定性原则，并关注[此处原文缺失相关内容，可能影响准确理解，推测是某些元素之间]之间的匹配度是否合适。按照迭代工具开发方法，CAMELOT将在经过广泛的用户测试和试用后随着时间的推移不断修订。
