Background: Shortly after the launch of Cochrane Rehabilitation in December 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched “Rehabilitation 2030: a call for action” with the aim to strengthen and upscale rehabilitation services in health systems worldwide in response to the growing needs. Cochrane Rehabilitation collaborated with the WHO Rehabilitation Programme in several projects on rehabilitation interventions, in the framework of Rehabilitation 2030 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Objectives: The aim was to provide methodological support and Cochrane evidence at the request of the WHO, to inform clinical recommendations and guidance on rehabilitation management.
Methods: Different methods have been used according to the needs of the specific projects. For the Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (PIR), developed for 20 selected health conditions, we performed an overview of all the CSRs according to the inclusion criteria defined with WHO. The CSRs identified during the screening process were summarized using an evidence map. We grouped outcomes and comparisons of included CSRs indicating the effect and the quality of evidence to provide a comprehensive view of what is known. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we created an interactive living evidence map, based on priorities for research defined in collaboration with the WHO rehabilitation programme: limitations of functioning (disability) of rehabilitation interest, the phases of the disease, and research questions at the rehabilitation micro, meso and macro level. Furthermore, indirect evidence on symptoms of post COVID-19 condition was extracted and synthesized from CSRs on the same symptoms in other health conditions.
Results: Table 1 reports the results on the three main projects (PIR, ‘Evidence on’ COVID-19 and ‘Evidence relevant to’ symptoms of post COVID-19 condition) in collaboration between the WHO and Cochrane Rehabilitation.
Conclusions: In its collaboration with the WHO, Cochrane Rehabilitation has developed different strategies and methodologies to respond rapidly to emerging questions regarding rehabilitation interventions. The aim is to inform clinicians as well as policymakers to allow evidence-based decision-making. These approaches could benefit other similar fields in healthcare in the future and inform scientists on further research needs.
Patient, public and/or healthcare consumer involvement: Not applicable.

CR WHO Collaboration Table 1.pdf