Please note this application is under active development. If you spot any errors or something isn't working, please contact us at evidence.service@wales.nhs.uk.
Our evidence maps rely on trusted sources, including National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines and systematic reviews from our robust secondary source list. These sources adhere to systematic review principles, employing comprehensive research strategies, objective source selection criteria, and risk of bias assessment in primary studies. We search the following list of sources for each of our topic evidence maps (some sources are topic specific, and would only be searched if relevant to the map question):
Secondary sources identified during our searches are screened against the specific evidence map inclusion criteria (available on request), independently by two reviewers. Any disagreements are resolved through discussion or consultation with a third reviewer. Summary information from the included source is then extracted, and the source is categorised (by elements such as intervention type, setting and population group) and mapped.
Our evidence maps are not search engines and do not encompass all the available research on their respective topics. While they cover a range of sources, they may not include new and innovative research that has not yet been incorporated into systematic reviews or guidelines.
It is important to note that the research included in our evidence maps have not been critically appraised by the Evidence Service, nor have the team conducted any evidence synthesis. The findings and conclusions presented in the individual evidence summary pages are those of the source authors and have not been interpreted by our reviewers. Therefore, users should exercise caution and we would encourage users to consult the original source directly to gain a deeper understanding of the evidence's strength, quality, and limitations before utilising findings as part of your work.
Our primary audience includes professionals, researchers, and practitioners working in fields related to the topics covered by our evidence maps. They can provide valuable insights and evidence-based information to support your work. However, they may also be of interest to a broader range of individuals and professionals who are seeking knowledge about these areas.
The different statuses of an evidence map are described below.
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Under development | The evidence map is currently in development mode and is not yet ready for public viewing. |
| New | The evidence map has been newly created within the last 30 days. |
| Live | The evidence map is publicly available and up-to-date. |
| Recently updated | The evidence map has been updated within the last 30 days. |
| Down for maintenance | The evidence map is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance. |
| Archived | The evidence map is no longer considered relevant and has been archived. |