Question

Forest plot.

Hint:

Forest plots are useful for visualizing the overall effect size and consistency of results across studies.

Answer 1

A forest plot is a graphical representation of the results of a meta-analysis or systematic review, showing individual study results and overall effects.
Step 1: Components of a Forest Plot:
1. Individual Study Results: Each study is represented by a horizontal line indicating the confidence interval (CI) of the estimate.
2. Point Estimate: The vertical line through each study’s result indicates the point estimate of the effect size.
3. Overall Effect: The combined effect of all studies is represented by a diamond shape, which shows the pooled estimate and its confidence interval.
Step 2: Interpretation of Forest Plot:
1. Significance: If the confidence intervals of a study or the overall estimate do not cross the vertical line of no effect (usually represented by zero or one, depending on the type of analysis), the result is statistically significant.
2. Heterogeneity: Variability in the effect estimates across studies is indicated by the width of the confidence intervals and the size of the individual study results.