Table 3 Characteristics and major strengths and limitations of current available guideline adaptation methods (n = 10); and design, procedures, main contents, and improvements (considering current advantages and limitations) of the Development, Evaluation, and impLemenTation for guideline Adaptation (DELTA) system
Adaptation method | Year | Design | Steps | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The ADAPTE [18] | 2005/2009a | Workshops, consultations, evaluations | 24 steps/3 phases | Completed modules with specific tasks | Complex steps and long process time |
The GRADE-ADOLOPMENT [19] | 2006 | Apply GRADE EtDs tables to adaptation | 8 steps/3 phases | Apply the GRADE approach | Unstandardized preparation and finalization |
The MAGIC [20] | 2014 | Apply GRADE approach to adaptation | 5 steps | Apply the GRADE approach, concise | Undetailed adaptation steps and requirements |
The CHOICE-D [21] | 2020 | Collaborate with patients and families | 9 steps | Consider patient and public involvement | Designed for publics, limited profession |
The CAN-IMPLEMENT [22] | 2013 | Revise ADAPTE, enhance implementation | 5 steps | Enhance implementation, concise | Undetailed adaptation steps and requirements |
The Adapted ADAPTE [57] | 2015 | Revise ADAPTE | 24 steps/3 phases | Completed modules with specific tasks | Complex steps and long process time |
The Alberta Ambassador Program [58] | 2006 | Collaboration, committees, partnerships | 11 steps/3 stages | Considering local knowledge | Designed for primary care, limited profession |
The RAPADAPTE [59] | 2016 | From ADAPTE, use synthesized evidence databases | 12 steps | Concise, rapid | Not all databases are available globally |
The RCN [60] | 2000 | Author team initiate | 5 steps | Concise | Undetailed adaptation steps and requirements |
The SGR [61] | 2006 | Author team initiate | 9 steps | Concise | Unstandardized preparation and finalization |
The proposed DELTA system | |||||
Design | Multistage: (1) identify research gaps and needs by the DELTA series; (2) establish international working group of different fields; (3) systematic review, (4) reporting quality evaluation, (5) Delphi expert consensus, (6) public involvement, (7) multidisciplinary consultations, (8) evaluations, quality control, external review, (9) extensions, implementation, updates | ||||
Main contents | Consider needs of guideline developers and related researchers and other stakeholders: how to form a group and choose topics and keywords, what are the basic databases and search engines, how to screen literatures and collect information, how to determine key questions and perform quality assessments, how to form guideline elements through literature contents and local situation, how to involve publics and different fields, and other requirements in quality control, conflict of interest, reporting checklist, and updates | ||||
Improvements | |||||
- Reserving current advantages | (1) completed instrument with specific succinct tasks; (2) consider GRADE approach; (3) public involvement; (4) enhance implementation; (5) consider different environment and fields | ||||
- Solving current limitations | (1) unified standardized theoretical and practical framework with related materials; (2) preinvestigation to identify needs of guideline developers and related researchers and other stakeholders; (3) developers from international working group of different fields multidisciplinary consultations; (4) with references from available methods; (5) rigorous, concise, efficient, and transparent procedures and steps; (6) detailed instrument and procedures; (7) consider different environment, fields, and publics; (8) general databases and search engines | ||||