Calculating prevalence of hepatitis B in India: Using population weights to look for publication bias in conventional meta-analysis.
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Date
2009-12
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Abstract
Publication bias can result from the propensity of researchers to document what is unusual. This can distort the inferences
drawn in systematic reviews. To measure the distortion, it has been suggested that a second analysis be done; using
weights proportional to the size of the population from which the samples are drawn. We re-evaluate data from a published
meta-analysis on prevalence of hepatitis B in India, to see how this approach alters the results. Prevalence of hepatitis B
among tribal and non-tribal populations in different States was analyzed. Weights were then assigned according to
population of the State. The overall country prevalence was then calculated. Using population-weights it is estimated that the
point-prevalence of hepatitis B among non-tribal populations is 3.07% [95% CI: 2.5 - 3.64]. Among tribal populations it is
11.85% (CI 10.76 -12.93). Overall prevalence was 3.70 (CI: 3.17 -4.24) (corresponding to a chronic carrier rate of 2.96%).
The present analysis using population-weights has resulted in the estimated prevalence among non tribal populations
increasing by 24% and that among tribal populations decreasing by 25.5% when compared to figures of the metaanalysis
published earlier. The advantages and drawbacks of this procedure are discussed.
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Keywords
Hepatits B
Citation
Batham Ashish, Gupta Manoj Anand, Rastogi Pallav, Garg Shubham, Sreenivas V, Puliyel Jacob M. Calculating prevalence of hepatitis B in India: Using population weights to look for publication bias in conventional meta-analysis. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2009 Dec; 76(12): 1247-1257.