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image of The Quality of Methodological Reporting of Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) Articles Published in Iranian and Top Nursing and Midwifery Journals Indexed in the Scopus Database using the CONSORT Checklist: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction

The quality of methodological reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is crucial for guiding healthcare decisions. This study compares the methodological reporting of RCT articles published in Iranian nursing and midwifery journals indexed in Scopus with those published in international nursing and midwifery journals also indexed in Scopus.

Methods

This comparative cross-sectional study reviewed RCT articles from eight Iranian Scopus-indexed journals (381 articles) and three journals with the highest CiteScore index (204 articles) from 2017 to 2021. Data were collected using the methodology section of the CONSORT checklist. SPSS 19 software was used for data analysis.

Results

The average percentages of methodological reporting in the top three Iranian journals were 76.4% and 84.4%. The mean quality score of methodological reporting in Iranian nursing and midwifery journals was significantly lower than that in international journals published from 2017-2021 ( <0.001). Underreporting was observed in both groups, particularly regarding randomization and blinding.

Discussion

Our findings align with previous studies indicating that adherence to reporting standards, such as CONSORT guidelines, is more common in higher-impact journals. Deficiencies in reporting elements, such as randomization and blinding, undermine confidence in study results.

Conclusion

The average quality of methodological reporting in Iranian journals is lower than that in the top three Scopus-indexed journals. Journals with lower reporting quality, like Iranian journals, can enhance article quality by adhering to reporting guidelines for all article types, including RCTs.

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2025-05-07
2025-09-15

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The Quality of Methodological Reporting of Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) Articles Published in Iranian and Top Nursing and Midwifery Journals Indexed in the Scopus Database using the CONSORT Checklist: A Cross-sectional Study
Bentham Science Publishers ; https://doi.org/10.2174/0115748871331785250415055616
/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871331785250415055616
/content/journals/rrct/10.2174/0115748871331785250415055616
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  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keywords: randomised controlled trial ; methodology ; reporting guideline ; CONSORT checklist ; nursing and midwifery journals ; Scopus

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