Risk of bias
Each included study is assessed with the tool that fits its design. Judgements per domain are justified and exported for the report table.
Available tools
| Tool | For | Domains |
|---|---|---|
| RoB 2 | Randomised clinical trials | Randomisation, deviations, missing data, outcome measurement, outcome selection. |
| ROBINS-I | Non-randomised intervention studies | Confounding, selection, classification, deviations, missing data, measurement, outcome selection. |
| Newcastle-Ottawa | Cohort and case-control studies | Selection, comparability, outcome or exposure (stars). |
| JBI | Several designs (prevalence, qualitative…) | JBI-specific checklists. |
| QUADAS-2 | Diagnostic accuracy studies | Risk of bias: patient selection, index test, reference standard, flow and timing. Applicability to the review question of the first three. |
| PROBAST | Prediction model studies (diagnostic or prognostic) | Risk of bias: participants, predictors, outcome and analysis, and overall. Applicability: participants, predictors, outcome and overall. |
Assessing a study
- Risk of bias → pick the study and the tool.
- For each domain, answer the signalling questions, choose the judgement (low, some concerns, high) and write the justification quoting the text.
- The overall judgement follows the tool’s algorithm; you can override it with a reason.
- Save. A second reviewer can do their own assessment and compare.
Export
Export → Risk of bias produces a CSV with one row per study, reviewer and tool, and one column per domain with judgement and justification. Use it for the traffic-light plot with robvis or directly in the report.
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