Explanation and Elaboration Document for the STROBE‐Vet Statement: Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology—Veterinary Extension

Abstract

The STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement was first published in 2007 and again in 2014. The purpose of the original STROBE was to provide guidance for authors, reviewers, and editors to improve the comprehensiveness of reporting; however, STROBE has a unique focus on observational studies. Although much of the guidance provided by the original STROBE document is directly applicable, it was deemed useful to map those statements to veterinary concepts, provide veterinary examples, and highlight unique aspects of reporting in veterinary observational studies. Here, we present the examples and explanations for the checklist items included in the STROBE‐Vet statement. Thus, this is a companion document to the STROBE‐Vet statement methods and process document (JVIM_14575 “Methods and Processes of Developing the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology—Veterinary (STROBE‐Vet) Statement” undergoing proofing), which describes the checklist and how it was developed.

Abomasitis in calves: A retrospective cohort study of 23 cases (2006‐2016)

“…Our study was an observational retrospective cohort study . The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology Vet Statement (Veterinary Extension) was used to report this study (Data S1).…”

Information retrieval for systematic reviews in food and feed topics: A narrative review

“…An analysis of 100 observational studies in preharvest food safety found that only 38% used one of the “big three” labels (case‐control, cohort, and cross‐sectional studies) to describe the study design used . The recent publication of STROBE‐Vet, a reporting standard for observational studies in animals, may improve the consistency of methodological reporting going forward and make it more feasible to identify such study designs consistently with a search strategy …”

What's in a Name? The Incorrect Use of Case Series as a Study Design Label in Studies Involving Dogs and Cats

“…Our finding that information on the selection methods for study subjects was not reported in all studies is of concern. Although not specific to descriptive cohort designs, the STROBE‐Vet guidelines recommend that information on the target, source, and study populations be reported; these guidelines also provide information on the level of detail that should be included …”