title: Development of the standards of reporting of neurological disorders (STROND) checklist: a guideline for the reporting of incidence and prevalence studies in neuroepidemiology.
abstract: Incidence and prevalence studies of neurological disorders play an important role in assessing the burden of disease and planning services. However, the assessment of disease estimates is hindered by problems in reporting for such studies. Despite a growth in published reports, existing guidelines relate to analytical rather than descriptive epidemiological studies. There are also no user-friendly tools (e.g., checklists) available for authors, editors and peer-reviewers to facilitate best practice in reporting of descriptive epidemiological studies for most neurological disorders. The Standards of Reporting of Neurological Disorders (STROND) is a guideline that consists of recommendations and a checklist to facilitate better reporting of published incidence and prevalence studies of neurological disorders. A review of previously developed guidance was used to produce a list of items required for incidence and prevalence studies in neurology. A three-round Delphi technique was used to identify the 'basic minimum items' important for reporting, as well as some additional 'ideal reporting items'. An e-consultation process was then used in order to gauge opinion by external neuroepidemiological experts on the appropriateness of the items included in the checklist. Of 38 candidate items, 15 items and accompanying recommendations were developed along with a user-friendly checklist. The introduction and use of the STROND checklist should lead to more consistent, transparent and contextualised reporting of descriptive neuroepidemiological studies resulting in more applicable and comparable findings and ultimately support better healthcare decisions.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK, derrick.bennett@ctsu.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Derrick A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brayne
authors.forename: Valery L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Feigin
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barker-Collo
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brainin
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jetté
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karch
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kurtzke
authors.forename: Pablo M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lavados
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Logroscino
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: Pierre-Marie
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Preux
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rothwell
authors.forename: Lawrence W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Svenson
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist; D032921:Consensus; D003697:Delphi Technique; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence