Results Summary and Professional Abstract
Results of This Project
Peer-Review Summary
Peer review of PCORI-funded research helps make sure the report presents complete, balanced, and useful information about the research. It also assesses how the project addressed PCORI’s Methodology Standards. During peer review, experts read a draft report of the research and provide comments about the report. These experts may include a scientist focused on the research topic, a specialist in research methods, a patient or caregiver, and a healthcare professional. These reviewers cannot have conflicts of interest with the study.
The peer reviewers point out where the draft report may need revision. For example, they may suggest ways to improve descriptions of the conduct of the study or to clarify the connection between results and conclusions. Sometimes, awardees revise their draft reports twice or more to address all of the reviewers’ comments.
Peer reviewers commented and the researchers made changes or provided responses. Those comments and responses included the following:
- The reviewers asked for more information about the weight-management interventions that were already being used in the comparison group and how those were assessed. The researchers explained in their revision that they used chart review to identify what interventions were used in the comparison group.
- Given the pragmatic, not-randomized nature of this trial, the reviewers asked for more detail on how the researchers accounted for potentially confounding variables. The researchers added information to describe how they used generalized linear mixed models to address confounders.
- In a related comment, the reviewers expressed concern that the researchers did not adequately address differences among the study sites and differences in the number of observations and number of clinic visits per patient. The researchers described how they addressed these concerns. They also stated that they had looked for any differences in non-study-related visits between groups and found none.
- The reviewers asked for more information on how the researchers measured patient adherence to the treatment modality. The researchers explained that they measured adherence based on visits to the weight clinic, group weight-loss classes, and the recreational center. They were unable to use other types of adherence measures because clients were inconsistent in their use of reporting tools.
- The reviewers stressed the importance of addressing the PCORI Methodology Standards related to data registries in the final report. The researchers provided this information, noting in their response that they had added information about how they dealt with patients who dropped out, were excluded, or were lost to follow-up.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures
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Project Details
Care Coordination
Drug Interventions
Incentives for Behavior Change
Other Clinical Interventions
Other Health Services Interventions
Patient Navigation
Technology Interventions
Training and Education Interventions
Low Income
Individuals with Multiple Chronic/co-morbid Conditions
Urban