Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24968373›Full record

SynthesisEnvironmental health perspectives2014

The Navigation Guide systematic review methodology: a rigorous and transparent method for translating environmental health science into better health outcomes.

Tracey J Woodruff, Patrice Sutton

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Environmental health perspectives, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 197 papers, 79 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
197citing papers in PubMed, 79 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

197 citing papers in PubMed, 79 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  6. Systematic review of potential developmental and reproductive toxicity of microplastics.Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · 2025
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  17. Association between night work and prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International archives of occupational and environmental health · 2024
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  19. [Environmental risks and health literacy: a systematic review].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2024
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137 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Tracey J WoodruffProgram on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, California, USA.
Patrice Sutton

Funding

The UCSF Pregnancy Exposures to Environmental Chemicals (PEEC) Children's CenterP01ES022841 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI WOODRUFF, TRACEY J. · 2013 to 2018
$3.9M
Project 2: Assessing the Effects on BPA Exposure on Early Human DevelopmentP20ES018135 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI WOODRUFF, TRACEY J. · 2010 to 2012
$617k
NIEHS NIH HHS ES018135NIEHS NIH HHS ES022841NIEHS NIH HHS P01 ES022841NIEHS NIH HHS P20 ES018135
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSynthesizing what is known about the environmental drivers of health is instrumental to taking prevention-oriented action. Methods of research synthesis commonly used in environmental health lag behind systematic review methods developed in the clinical sciences over the past 20 years.

objectivesWe sought to develop a proof of concept of the "Navigation Guide," a systematic and transparent method of research synthesis in environmental health. DISCUSSION: The Navigation Guide methodology builds on best practices in research synthesis in evidence-based medicine and environmental health. Key points of departure from current methods of expert-based narrative review prevalent in environmental health include a prespecified protocol, standardized and transparent documentation including expert judgment, a comprehensive search strategy, assessment of "risk of bias," and separation of the science from values and preferences. Key points of departure from evidence-based medicine include assigning a "moderate" quality rating to human observational studies and combining diverse evidence streams.

conclusionsThe Navigation Guide methodology is a systematic and rigorous approach to research synthesis that has been developed to reduce bias and maximize transparency in the evaluation of environmental health information. Although novel aspects of the method will require further development and validation, our findings demonstrated that improved methods of research synthesis under development at the National Toxicology Program and under consideration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are fully achievable. The institutionalization of robust methods of systematic and transparent review would provide a concrete mechanism for linking science to timely action to prevent harm.

Indexed as

Decision Support TechniquesBiasEnvironmental HealthHazardous SubstancesHumansInterdisciplinary CommunicationReview Literature as TopicHazardous Substances

Identifiers

PMID24968373
PMCPMC4181919

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC0
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.