Information of research gaps from NOKC systematic reviews and HTA-reports in 2014
Mapping review
|Updated
Key message
The Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services publish yearly a report of the knowledge gaps that we identify during our work with the systematic reviews and health technology assessments (HTA) that we conduct. The identified gaps do not cover the needs for research in Norway, but reflects the needs that were identified for the questions that was prioritized for our systematic reviews and HTA reports for 2014.
Several of our systematic reviews and HTA’s conducted in 2014 concluded that there is a further need for more research. There is also a need for more systematic reviews and updates of existing reviews. This includes questions regarding public health, screening, diagnostics, drugs, mental health, chronic illness, trauma and surgery, organizational interventions, and various welfare interventions.
Two systematic reviews, about the use of electronic appointment schedules for physicians, and electronic national incident reporting systems, found a complete lack of studies of effect.
Based on the reports published in 2014, there is a need for studies comparing:
- Organized follow up at healthy living centres for different lengths of time
- Use of social media in campaigns with traditional channels of information such as newspapers, TV and radio
- Strategies for screening for abdominal aneurism in the aorta
- New anti-diabetic medications for type 2 diabetes
- Surgery for obesity with non-surgical treatment
Many of the reports asks for longer follow up periods and reports a lack of information regarding important outcomes.