Impact of CONSORT extension for cluster randomised trials on quality of reporting and study methodology: review of random sample of 300 trials, 2000-8.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the 2004 extension of the CONSORT guidelines on the reporting and methodological quality of cluster randomised trials. DESIGN: Methodological review of 300 randomly sampled cluster randomised trials. Two reviewers independently abstracted 14 criteria related to quality of reporting and four methodological criteria specific to cluster randomised trials. We compared manuscripts published before CONSORT (2000-4) with those published after CONSORT (2005-8). We also investigated differences by journal impact factor, type of journal, and trial setting. DATA SOURCES: A validated Medline search strategy. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Cluster randomised trials published in English language journals, 2000-8. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in five of 14 reporting criteria: identification as cluster randomised; justification for cluster randomisation; reporting whether outcome assessments were blind; reporting the number of clusters randomised; and reporting the number of clusters lost to follow-up. No significant improvements were found in adherence to methodological criteria. Trials conducted in clinical rather than non-clinical settings and studies published in medical journals with higher impact factor or general medical journals were more likely to adhere to recommended reporting and methodological criteria overall, but there was no evidence that improvements after publication of the CONSORT extension for cluster trials were more likely in trials conducted in clinical settings nor in trials published in either general medical journals or in higher impact factor journals. CONCLUSION: The quality of reporting of cluster randomised trials improved in only a few aspects since the publication of the extension of CONSORT for cluster randomised trials, and no improvements at all were observed in essential methodological features. Overall, the adherence to reporting and methodological guidelines for cluster randomised trials remains suboptimal, and further efforts are needed to improve both reporting and methodology.

Domestic violence and children: prevalence and risk in five major U.S. cities.

OBJECTIVE: Children witnessing domestic violence is a major national concern. The present study provided data on the prevalence of children's exposure to substantiated cases of adult female assaults in five U.S. cities. METHOD: Data for this study were drawn from the Spouse Assault Replication Program (SARP) database, collected from police officers and female victims of misdemeanor domestic violence. In addition, household demographic data and data on involvement of children in the violent incidents were collected. Data from the SARP households were compared with census data from each city. RESULTS: Results indicated that children were disproportionately present in households with domestic violence and that young children were disproportionately represented among these children. Moreover, these children were exposed to excessive levels of additional developmental risk factors and they were involved in the incidents to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of establishing a more rigorous interdisciplinary, scientific research agenda to inform assessment and treatment efforts for a very vulnerable group of children who witness domestic violence, children aged 0 through 5 years.

Impact of the Minnesota Parental Notification Law on abortion and birth.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the Minnesota Parental Notification Law on abortion and birth was examined. METHODS: Using linear models, outcome parameters were compared before and after enactment of the law. Time by age group interactions also were examined. RESULTS: The pre-enactment to post-enactment change in the Minnesota abortion rate reflected a greater decline for minors (less than or equal to 17 years old) than for 18-19 year-olds (who were not under the law). An increase in abortion rate occurred for women ages 20-44. The law appeared to have had no impact on birth rate in minors. Following the enactment of the law, the rate of early abortions (less than or equal to 12 weeks) declined among minors more than the rate of late abortions (greater than 12 weeks). This resulted in a pre-enactment to post-enactment increase in the ratio of late-to-early abortions among minors. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that parental notification facilitated pregnancy avoidance in 15-17 year-old Minnesota women. Abortion rates declined unexpectedly while birth rates continued to decline in accordance with a long-term trend.

RRT meets RDD: statistical strategies for assuring response privacy in telephone surveys.

Despite its growing role in survey research, the telephone survey has been largely neglected with respect to the design and testing of statistical procedures for assuring response privacy (e.g., randomized response techniques). This paper demonstrates that such procedures are no less feasible to administer in telephone surveys than in face-to-face surveys. Both randomized response techniques and alternatives to randomized response are considered.

Randomized field experiments for program planning, development, and evaluation: an illustrative bibliography.

This bibliography lists references to over 300 field experiments undertaken in schools, hospitals, prisons, and other social settings, mainly in the U.S. The list is divided into 10 major categories corresponding to the type of program under examination. They include: criminal and civil justice programs, mental health, training and education, mass media, information collection, utilization, commerce and industry, welfare, health, and family planning. The main purpose of the bibliography is to provide evidence on feasibility and scope of randomized field tests, since despite their advantages, it is not always clear from managerial, political, and other constraints on research that they can be mounted. Dates of publications range from 1944 to 1978.

EXTENSIONS OF A MULTITRAIT-MULTIMETHOD MODEL TO EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY.

A simplified description of restricted maximum likelihood factor analysis of multitrait-multimethod data is presented. The series of hypothetical exam- ples and data are taken from motivational-experimental psychology. Implications of the model and the relations between this approach and other multitrait-multimethod analytic techniques are discussed briefly.