Resources Repository
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ReviewPublication 2021Considerations for Diagnostic COVID-19 Tests
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic …
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic test manufacturers to create, validate, and implement testing methods. This review discusses the pivotal role of diagnostic tests during the pandemic's first global wave, highlighting the challenges in technology and implementation experienced early on. The study also offers insights for enhancing the use of diagnostics, especially syndromic ones, should there be future spikes or regional outbreaks of COVID-19. The overarching…
Test Performance | Health/Medicine | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Science/Technology | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Rapid, Point-of-Care Antigen Tests for Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, …
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, differentiating results between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Using data from 155 study cohorts, the study found that the sensitivity of antigen tests was generally higher for symptomatic individuals, especially during the first week after symptom onset, due to higher viral loads. For example, average sensitivity was higher in symptomatic (73.0%) compared to asymptomatic participants (54.7). Average sensitivity was higher in…
Test Performance | Health/Medicine | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Science/Technology | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Significance of Advanced COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing in Pandemic Control Measures
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant …
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant efforts to combat the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 virus. Despite substantial progress in vaccines and treatments, leading to lower hospitalization and death rates, the virus has continued to evolve, primarily through mutations. From the onset, diagnostic tests have been crucial in identifying and controlling the virus spread. The scientific world has pioneered various diagnostic techniques, including nucleic acid, antigen, and antibody-based…
Test Performance | Health/Medicine | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Clinical Care | Science/Technology | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Diagnostics for COVID-19: Moving from Pandemic Response to Control
Diagnostics are essential in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, with three primary methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 …
Diagnostics are essential in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, with three primary methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infections. Each test type remains vital as we shift from responding to controlling the pandemic. Molecular tests, like PCR, are highly precise in identifying viral RNA and are endorsed by the WHO for confirming cases and guiding public health actions. Antigen rapid tests spot viral proteins and, while less accurate than molecular tests, are quicker, more affordable, simpler, and can…
Test Performance | Health/Medicine | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Clinical Care | Science/Technology -
ReviewPublication 2022Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of COVID-19 Interventions: Non-Health Impacts and Distributional Issues
The authors conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of COVID-19 interventions and assessed whether …
The authors conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of COVID-19 interventions and assessed whether they incorporated non-health impacts and distributional concerns. Among the 70 articles included, more than half (56%) included at least one non-health impact, although only 21% incorporated non-economic consequences. Only 17% examined subgroups of interest. The median ICER for the entire sample was $67,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) (interquartile range [IQR] $9000-$893,000/QALY). Interventions including a pharmaceutical component yielded a median ICER of $93,000/QALY (IQR…
Evidence Synthesis | Health/Medicine | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Social Determinants | Culture/Society | Economics/Finance | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Multicriteria Decision Analysis to Support Decision Making in Healthcare
This study reviews the application of multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) in healthcare, aiming to clarify …
This study reviews the application of multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) in healthcare, aiming to clarify its use across various decision-making contexts. The authors updated a 2013 systematic review by searching Embase, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for English-language MCDA studies published from August 2013 to November 2020. Additionally, grey literature from January 1990 to November 2020 was reviewed via the Trip Medical Database and Google. Information on decision context, criteria, methods, stakeholders, and sensitivity analyses was…
Evidence Synthesis | Health/Medicine | Priority Setting/Ethics | Decision Analysis -
ReviewPublication 2020Public Health and Online Misinformation: Challenges and Recommendations
The internet has become a popular resource to learn about health and to investigate one's …
The internet has become a popular resource to learn about health and to investigate one's own health condition. However, given the large amount of inaccurate information online, people can easily become misinformed. Individuals have always obtained information from outside the formal health care system, so how has the internet changed people's engagement with health information? This review explores how individuals interact with health misinformation online, whether it be through search, user-generated content, or mobile apps.…
Evidence Synthesis | Health/Medicine | Social Determinants | Health Systems | Culture/Society | North America -
EditorialPublication 2020Waiting for Certainty on COVID-19 Antibody Tests — At What Cost?
This perspective anticipates the availability of serologic antibody testing and considers its potential usefulness in mitigation …
This perspective anticipates the availability of serologic antibody testing and considers its potential usefulness in mitigation policy to reduce COVID-19 transmission. For example: Could we screen for serologic antibodies as a proxy for possible immunity and identify people who could return to the workplace with less severe mitigation measures? The authors acknowledge the uncertainties raised by many policy actors, including the WHO, such as, "Do antibodies confer immunity and, if so, for how long? How accurate is…
Test Performance | Health/Medicine | Probability/Bayes | Technology Assessment | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Government/Law | Global | North America -
ReviewPublication 2018Equity Considerations in CEA: Rotavirus Vaccine in LMIC's
The authors used a systematic review of the literature to identify economic evaluations of rotavirus …
The authors used a systematic review of the literature to identify economic evaluations of rotavirus vaccine in LMICs and assess the extent to which equity was considered in the objectives, analysis, and results. They used equity-related indicators provided in the Guidance on Priority Setting in Health Care (GPS-Health) checklist criteria resulting in 18 unique indicators tracked. The authors found that some articles incorporated the indicators in their model inputs (20%) while the majority (80%) presented…
Evidence Synthesis | Health/Medicine | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Social Determinants | Global