Risk of bias in cross-sectional studies: Protocol for a scoping review of concepts and tools
Shannon E. Kelly,
Karima Benkhedda,
Stephen P.J. Brooks,
Amanda J. MacFarlane,
Linda S. Greene-Finestone,
Becky Skidmore,
Tammy J. Clifford,
George A. Wells
Affiliations
Shannon E. Kelly
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Cardiovascular Research Methods Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Corresponding author at: School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Karima Benkhedda
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Stephen P.J. Brooks
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Amanda J. MacFarlane
Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Agrilife Evidence Center at Texas A&M University, College Station, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Linda S. Greene-Finestone
Applied Research Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Becky Skidmore
Independent Information Scientist, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Tammy J. Clifford
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
George A. Wells
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Cardiovascular Research Methods Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Cross-sectional studies are commonly used to study human health and disease, but are especially susceptible to bias. This scoping review aims to identify and describe available tools to assess the risk of bias (RoB) in cross-sectional studies and to compile the key bias concepts relevant to cross-sectional studies into an item bank. Using the JBI scoping review methodology, the strategy to locate relevant RoB concepts and tools is a combination of database searches, prospective review of PROSPERO registry records; and consultation with knowledge users and content experts. English language records will be included if they describe tools, checklists, or instruments which describe or permit assessment of RoB for cross-sectional studies. Systematic reviews will be included if they consider eligible RoB tools or use RoB tools for RoB of cross-sectional studies. All records will be independently screened, selected, and extracted by one researcher and checked by a second. An analytic framework will be used to structure the extraction of data. Results for the scoping review are pending. Results from this scoping review will be used to inform future selection of RoB tools and to consider whether development of a new RoB tool for cross-sectional studies is needed.
