The Evidence-Based Medicine Unit (EBM-U) of the Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa) has the primary mission of strengthening informed decision-making and improving public health in the Balearic Islands and the international community. The EBM-U offers a full range of services to support research and decision-making in the health field, based on scientific evidence.

This unit has over 15 years of experience in conducting systematic reviews, through close collaboration with Cochrane Ibero-America.. Durante estos años ha trabajado con organizaciones de renombre como la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), la Comisión Europea y la Academia Europea de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica (EAACI) o la Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria (EFSA), consolidando su posición como referente en investigación basada en evidencia.

In October 2024, the EBM-U was accredited as the Cochrane Islas Baleares group (an institution affiliated with Cochrane Iberoamérica), bringing to the group its extensive experience in systematic reviews, rigorous methodologies, and evidence quality assessment using GRADE.

Cochrane is an independent international network that brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers from around the world, with the goal of providing reliable and accessible health information. Since its founding in 1993, Cochrane has focused on generating high-quality scientific evidence to improve decision-making in health, and it does so with over 100,000 members in 190 countries. The Cochrane Ibero-American Center is an internationally recognized institution within Cochrane, coordinating the Cochrane Ibero-American Network, which includes Spain and 18 other Spanish-speaking countries. In this way, Cochrane promotes a vision of health based on evidence, aimed at all those seeking informed and effective healthcare decisions.

The integration of the group into Cochrane Ibero-America maximizes IdISBa’s capabilities to promote evidence-based health through:

• Improvement of decision-making: Facilitating access to reliable, high-quality evidence for healthcare professionals and policymakers to base their decisions on.

• Development and dissemination of reliable evidence: Facilitating access to Cochrane reviews in Spanish and Catalan, and expanding their reach among healthcare professionals and the general population.

• Support for local research: Providing methodological support for regional and international projects, strengthening their scientific impact.

• Training and education: Organizing workshops and activities to promote a culture of continuous learning in evidence-based medicine.

• Strengthening collaborative networks: Collaborating with universities, healthcare institutions, and government agencies to implement evidence-based practices in the region.

• The EBM-U has extensive experience in systematic reviews and advanced methodologies, offering a comprehensive and flexible approach in its services, which include:
  • Design of systematic review protocols.
  • Design of advanced bibliographic search strategies.
  • Screening, data extraction, and bias risk assessment.
  • Synthesis of quantitative and qualitative results through meta-analysis and meta-synthesis, ensuring thorough and reliable analysis.
  • Evaluation of evidence quality and formulation of recommendations based on GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) frameworks, ensuring a systematic and transparent approach to informed decision-making.

  Our services are flexible and tailored to the specific needs of each client, offering both methodological guidance and the complete or partial execution of systematic reviews.

  KNOW OUR RATES: Check our rates in this link (approved by the IdISBa Board of Trustees in September 2024).

• Dr. Ignacio Ricci Cabello, Director

• Dr. Maria Antònia Fiol de Roque, Deputy director

• Miss Narges Malih, Senior Systematic Reviewer

• Dr. Pau Riera, Senior Systematic Reviewer

• Dr Rocío Zamanillo Campos, Systematic Reviewer

All of them are also members of the Cochrane Group of the Balearic Islands.

1. Riera-Serra, P., et al., Clinical predictors of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and suicide death in depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2024. 274(7): p. 1543-1563.
2. Agache, I., et al., The impact of exposure to tobacco smoke and e-cigarettes on asthma-related outcomes: Systematic review informing the EAACI guidelines on environmental science for allergic diseases and asthma. Allergy, 2024. 79(9): p. 2346-2365.
3. Ricci-Cabello, I., et al., Characteristics and impact of interventions to support healthcare providers’ compliance with guideline recommendations for breast cancer: a systematic literature review. Implement Sci, 2023. 18(1): p. 17.
4. Bennasar-Veny, M., et al., Effect of physical activity and different exercise modalities on glycemic control in people with prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2023. 14: p. 1233312.
5. Serrano-Ripoll, M.J., et al., Impact of Smartphone App-Based Psychological Interventions for Reducing Depressive Symptoms in People With Depression: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 2022. 10(1): p. e29621.
6. Serrano-Ripoll, M.J., et al., Insomnia and sleep quality in healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Actas Esp Psiquiatr, 2021. 49(4): p. 155-179.
7. Gibbons, C., et al., Routine provision of feedback from patient-reported outcome measurements to healthcare providers and patients in clinical practice. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2021. 10(10): p. Cd011589.
8. Fraile Navarro, D., et al., Vitamin D recommendations in clinical guidelines: A systematic review, quality evaluation and analysis of potential predictors. Int J Clin Pract, 2021. 75(11): p. e14805.
9. Castro, A., et al., Adherence to Lifestyle Interventions for Treatment of Adults with Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021. 18(24).
10. Serrano-Ripoll, M.J., et al., Impact of viral epidemic outbreaks on mental health of healthcare workers: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord, 2020. 277: p. 347-357.
11. Ricci-Cabello, I., et al., Adherence to breast cancer guidelines is associated with better survival outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies in EU countries. BMC Health Serv Res, 2020. 20(1): p. 920.
12. Pastor-Moreno, G., et al., Intimate partner violence and perinatal health: a systematic review. Bjog, 2020. 127(5): p. 537-547.
13. Niño de Guzmán, E., et al., Healthcare providers’ adherence to breast cancer guidelines in Europe: a systematic literature review. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 2020. 181(3): p. 499-518.
14. Gonçalves-Bradley, D.C., et al., Mobile technologies to support healthcare provider to healthcare provider communication and management of care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020. 8(8): p. Cd012927.
15. Castro, A., et al., Effectiveness and adherence of telephone-administered psychotherapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord, 2020. 260: p. 514-526.