Background: In an editorial from March 2022, a group of Cochrane authors pointed out the crucial role of Cochrane when it comes to synthesizing evidence regarding climate change and health as a key topic for future work (https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.ED000156). In this publication, the authors identify numerous challenges (e.g., a high load of search results, inclusion and appraisal of non–randomised controlled trials such as Public Health interventions and modelling studies) that result in a call for the Cochrane community to broaden its horizon method wise. In 2022, a working group called “Climate change and health” formed within the German network of evidence synthesis to prospectively identify those challenges and start developing solutions or ways to address them.
Objectives: The objective of this presentation is to underline the importance of possible arising methodological challenges and particularly to communicate and discuss the results of a workshop held by members of the working group in March 2023 at the annual conference of the German Network for Evidence-based Medicine. The aim would be to create an international knowledge transfer in both directions and to initiate further exchange to face methodological challenges together.
Methods: The workshop, named ‘Fish-bowl discussion on perspectives of the Working Group Climate Change and Health’, consists of an introduction into the topic and three statements that will be discussed in an interactive format, where the audience becomes part of the panel. The topics of the statements will cover transdisciplinary collaboration, handling of modelling studies and difficulties in knowledge translation, all relating to the methods of evidence-based medicine and climate health. An anonymised protocol about the discussion will result from the workshop. Expected
Results: We hope to gather insightful information and possible directions for future work towards a high-quality evidence synthesis with up-to-date methodological perspectives that result in recommendations to inform health policymakers and to share these insights in an international context.
Patient, public and/or healthcare consumer involvement: The working group will work on a public statement presenting the results of discussions after the workshop.