Quality Assessment of Cohort Studies in Complementary and  Alternative Medicine: A Scoping Review Over Two Decades

Mojtaba  Norouzi; Ali Akbar Haghdoost

doi:10.18502/ijph.v54i1.17576

Mojtaba Norouzi Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran
Ali Akbar Haghdoost HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i1.17576

Keywords: Scoping review; Quality assessment; Cohort studies; Complementary therapies

Abstract

Background: We aimed to investigate the subject matters and the quality of publications detailing the findings of cohort studies within the realm of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Methods: A scoping review was conducted on cohort studies in the CAM field up to the conclusion of 2023. The evaluation of their quality was carried out utilizing the 'Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology' (STROBE) checklist. Moreover, an analysis of their research settings and associated variables, including publication year, type of disease, intervention method, and study field, was conducted.

Results: Overall, 215 articles were identified. The majority of these cohorts, approximately 42.3%, originated from Taiwan, with stroke and cardiovascular diseases emerging as the most prevalent outcomes of interest. The mean STROBE score was 1.38 (SD=0.57) out of 2. The lowest scores were associated with the methods and funding sections. Methodologically, the principal weaknesses were linked to sample size, loss to follow-up, and bias control.

Conclusion: The frequency of cohort studies in CAM was limited, predominantly concentrated in a few countries. Chinese medicine and acupuncture were the main intervention methods, while other CAM interventions received less focus. Furthermore, the quality of these studies was deemed unsatisfactory in most cases.