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Development of an objective assessment tool for appraising reporting quality of economic evaluations with the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluations Reporting Standards 2022: The CHEERS framework

Zenker, Alina Mona LU ; Hoang, Men Thi ; Saha, Sanjib LU orcid and Trepel, Dominic (2026) In HRB Open Research 9(16). p.1-7
Abstract
The updated Consolidated Health Economics Evaluation Reporting Standards, CHEERS 2022, is considered the most comprehensive publication to assess reporting quality of economic evaluations (EEs) incorporating criteria of trial- and model-based studies, including emerging methods. However, it holds multiple criteria per item without clear decision rules on minimum requirements for complete reporting, which introduces subjectivity. The purpose of this study is to present the CHEERS framework, based on CHEERS 2022, a tool which enables an objective yet comprehensive quality appraisal of EEs.

Method
The framework was developed by translating the CHEERS 2022 explanations into decision rules, adding Boolean operators to separate... (More)
The updated Consolidated Health Economics Evaluation Reporting Standards, CHEERS 2022, is considered the most comprehensive publication to assess reporting quality of economic evaluations (EEs) incorporating criteria of trial- and model-based studies, including emerging methods. However, it holds multiple criteria per item without clear decision rules on minimum requirements for complete reporting, which introduces subjectivity. The purpose of this study is to present the CHEERS framework, based on CHEERS 2022, a tool which enables an objective yet comprehensive quality appraisal of EEs.

Method
The framework was developed by translating the CHEERS 2022 explanations into decision rules, adding Boolean operators to separate multiple criteria as well as highlight decision options. Some decision rules were supported by defining “minimal” and “comprehensive” requirements. Piloting occurred during the development process and in two complete systematic literature reviews afterwards. A scoring method and traffic light visualisation was developed to indicate the comprehensiveness of reporting.

Results
A framework for the objective and comprehensive appraisal of quality of economic evaluations in systematic literature reviews translating the guidance of CHEERS 2022 into 67 subitems with clear instructions on decision rules is provided. A traffic-light visualisation indicates degree of fulfillment at article and item level. A summary score in percentage of complete fulfillment of all criteria can be calculated at article-level.

Discussion and conclusion
The framework has been applied in two systematic literature reviews, including reviews on dementia and frailty. The scoring and visualisation method facilitates comparisons across reviews and identifies quality gaps across (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
HRB Open Research
volume
9
issue
16
pages
1 - 7
publisher
F1000 Research Ltd.
ISSN
2515-4826
DOI
10.12688/hrbopenres.14325.1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cc0edd39-09a2-41bb-9fce-ada6465f402a
date added to LUP
2026-02-16 11:26:05
date last changed
2026-02-16 14:21:02
@article{cc0edd39-09a2-41bb-9fce-ada6465f402a,
  abstract     = {{The updated Consolidated Health Economics Evaluation Reporting Standards, CHEERS 2022, is considered the most comprehensive publication to assess reporting quality of economic evaluations (EEs) incorporating criteria of trial- and model-based studies, including emerging methods. However, it holds multiple criteria per item without clear decision rules on minimum requirements for complete reporting, which introduces subjectivity. The purpose of this study is to present the CHEERS framework, based on CHEERS 2022, a tool which enables an objective yet comprehensive quality appraisal of EEs.<br/><br/>Method<br/>The framework was developed by translating the CHEERS 2022 explanations into decision rules, adding Boolean operators to separate multiple criteria as well as highlight decision options. Some decision rules were supported by defining “minimal” and “comprehensive” requirements. Piloting occurred during the development process and in two complete systematic literature reviews afterwards. A scoring method and traffic light visualisation was developed to indicate the comprehensiveness of reporting.<br/><br/>Results<br/>A framework for the objective and comprehensive appraisal of quality of economic evaluations in systematic literature reviews translating the guidance of CHEERS 2022 into 67 subitems with clear instructions on decision rules is provided. A traffic-light visualisation indicates degree of fulfillment at article and item level. A summary score in percentage of complete fulfillment of all criteria can be calculated at article-level.<br/><br/>Discussion and conclusion<br/>The framework has been applied in two systematic literature reviews, including reviews on dementia and frailty. The scoring and visualisation method facilitates comparisons across reviews and identifies quality gaps across}},
  author       = {{Zenker, Alina Mona and Hoang, Men Thi and Saha, Sanjib and Trepel, Dominic}},
  issn         = {{2515-4826}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{16}},
  pages        = {{1--7}},
  publisher    = {{F1000 Research Ltd.}},
  series       = {{HRB Open Research}},
  title        = {{Development of an objective assessment tool for appraising reporting quality of economic evaluations with the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluations Reporting Standards 2022: The CHEERS framework}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14325.1}},
  doi          = {{10.12688/hrbopenres.14325.1}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}