Protocol Registration and Reporting of Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Published in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Journals: a Descriptive Study

Abstract

Although it is not mandatory for systematic review and meta-analysis studies, protocol registration is essential in the prevention of biases. This study aims to investigate the protocol registration status and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in psychiatric nursing journals. This descriptive study's data were obtained by scanning the 10 mental health and psychiatric nursing journals in which the studies of psychiatric nurses were most frequently published and by examining the systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2012-2022. A total of 177 completed studies have been reviewed. It was determined that 18.6% of the examined systematic reviews and meta-analyses had a protocol registration. Almost all (96.9%) of the registered studies were registered with PROSPERO, and 72.7% were registered prospectively. It was determined that the registration status of the studies changed statistically according to the country where the studies' authors were located. When the published studies were examined, it was determined that approximately one out of every five studies were registered. With the prospective registration of systematic reviews, biases could be prevented, and evidence-based interventions can be made based on the knowledge obtained.