Assessing the quality and completeness of reporting in health systems guidance for pandemics using the AGREE-HS tool

• DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.06050
• Publication Date: 2023-10-26T16:11:02Z
• Authors: Luka Ursić; Marija F Žuljević; Miro Vuković; Nensi Bralić; Rea Roje; Jakov Matas; Antonija Mijatović; Damir Sapunar; Ana Marušić
• Keywords: Pandemic; Disease Control; Disease Prevention

During health emergencies, leading healthcare organisations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), United States Centers (CDC), provide guidance public response. Previous studies have evaluated clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) produced in response to epidemics or pandemics, yet few focused on recommendations. To address this gap, we assessed systems (HSG) by WHO, ECDC, CDC 2009 H1N1 COVID-19 pandemics.We extracted HSG pandemics from organisations' dedicated repositories websites. After screening retrieved documents eligibility, five assessors them using Appraisal of Guidelines Research & Evaluation - Systems (AGREE-HS) tool assess completeness transparency reporting according AGREE-HS domains: "Topic", "Participants", "Methods", "Recommendations", "Implementability".Following process, included 108 analysis. We observed statistically significant differences between with issued during receiving higher scores. The had significantly lower overall scores single-domain compared WHO ECDC. However, all scored relatively low, under median 40 total points (range = 10-70), indicating incomplete reporting. three organisations received a score <4 1-7) "Implementability" domains.There is still progress be made quality especially regarding methodological approaches composition development team. Due their impact importance globally, future crises should adhere best practices increase uptake stakeholders ensure trust organisations.