The aim of this section is to summarize and discuss (not repeat in detail) the main findings, including the strength of the evidence for each measurement property/instrument. This section should discuss any limitations of the primary studies included in the review and of the review itself (i.e. language restriction, access, timeframe, study design, etc.). The results should be discussed in the context of current literature, practice and policy.
The discussion should not bring in new findings that have not been reported in the results section. It should seek to establish a line of argument based on the findings regarding the suitability of particular measurement instruments for measuring a desired construct in a specific population and setting. The application and relevance of the findings to relevant stakeholders (e.g. healthcare providers, patients and policy makers) should also be discussed in this section.
Points to consider for the discussion include:
Were any problems identified undertaking the search (perhaps there is little primary research on this topic or perhaps it is poorly indexed by the databases that were searched or perhaps the search was insufficient)?
What limitations were found in the included primary research (e.g. were there inconsistencies or errors in reporting)?
How do the review findings fit with what is currently known on the topic (from issues highlighted in the Introduction section)?
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