Development of the Documentation and Appraisal Review Tool for systematic reviews

Table 1 Assessment of existing systematic review quality assessment tools

Need	Modified OQAQ	AMSTAR
Standardized quality assessment process across multiple reviewers with varying levels of experience	Insufficient detail to evaluate disputes	Confusing questions leading to inconsistent responses by same reviewer as well as between reviewers
Single tool to assess a variety of included research designs including randomized trials and observational studies	Insufficient detail on methods	Insufficient detail on methods
Detailed record of the review to facilitate updates of the evidence review	Insufficient detail for replication	Confusing questions leading to inconsistent responses by same reviewer and insufficient detail for replication
Training tool for junior epidemiologists and interns in systematic review methods	Insufficient detail on methods	Insufficient detail on methods

OQAQ: Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire; AMSTAR: Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews.