Stage 5; Estimating the risk

Checklist 3: Evaluating the quality of evidence (for information tables)
Quality of evidence = confidence in information; design, quality and other factors assessed and judged on consistency, relevance and validity. Grade: good, satisfactory, unsatisfactor	Examples of types of information/evidence
Good Further research unlikely to change confidence in information.	Peer-reviewed published studies where design and analysis reduce bias, e.g. systematic reviews, randomised control trials, outbreak reports using analytical epidemiology Textbooks regarded as definitive sources Expert group risk assessments, or specialised expert knowledge, or consensus opinion of experts
Satisfactory Further research likely to have impact on confidence of information and may change assessment. || Non-peer-reviewed published studies/reports Observational studies/surveillance reports/outbreak reports Individual (expert) opinion
Unsatisfactory Further research very likely to have impact on confidence of information and likely to change assessment. || Individual case reports Grey literature Individual (non-expert) opinion