The questions we didn't bring forward to Stage 2 and the reasons why
We want the question that The People's Review will try to answer to be accessible and relatable to as many people as possible. Our aim is fundamentally about creating an opportunity to encourage curiosity, learning and understanding about health reviews. We want to do a review that is not too difficult, so it is enjoyable for everyone (and doesn’t hurt our heads too much!). Equally, we would like to find a question that a good number of people might think “I’d like to know that”.
The People suggested 185 questions. Unfortunately we couldn't bring all the amazing questions through to Stage 2.
Check out the responses that were excluded by clicking each section below.

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Reason 4: There are likely none or very few trials available to answer these questions.We want to make sure we have at least a few trials to include in The People’s Review to answer our question. So, the team behind-the-scenes had a quick check to make sure there were trials available already looking at the topics considered. Scroll through the list to see the questions we had to exclude because no randomised trials have been published so far about these interesting topics. Researchers, if you are listening... The people have spoken! Consider starting a randomised trial on one of these questions! They are needed and wanted! I would like to find out if incline walking makes a difference to health compared to running. I would like to find out if running on pavements makes a difference to bone health compared to running on grass. I would like to find out if waiting 90 minutes after waking up before having a coffee makes a difference to energy levels, alertness, focus and mood compared to drinking coffee straight away after waking up, in adults. I would like to find out if spending time in a room with natural light makes a difference to mood compared to spending time in a room with artificial light. I would like to find out if avoiding phone use for the first hour after waking makes a difference to focus throughout the day in adults compared to using the phone immediately upon waking. I would like to find out if working a 30-hour week makes a difference to cognitive efficiency and fatigue in adults compared to working 40 or more hours per week. I would like to find out if checking emails only twice a day makes a difference to focus and cognitive fatigue compared to checking emails continuously throughout the day. I would like to find out if narrative therapy rooted in cultural/historical context makes a difference to post-traumatic symptom reduction, identity development, and therapeutic alliance compared to trauma-focused CBT. I would like to find out if the Mediterranean diet makes a difference to preventing the common cold compared to other diets. I would like to find out if a calm nurse dealing with a patient makes a difference to patient experience and outcomes compared to a loud or rushed nurse. I would like to find out if listening to music on lower volumes in earphones makes a difference to hearing compared to listening to music at high volumes. I would like to find out if mainstream use of artificial intelligence models in young adults makes a difference to disease prognosis of common pathologies compared to lower use of artificial intelligence models. I would like to find out if milk chocolate makes a difference to tooth decay compared to dark chocolate. I would like to find out if reading books before bed makes a difference to sleep compared to listening to audiobooks before bed. I would like to find out if shaving with a razor makes a difference to hair growth and thickness compared to not shaving with a razor. I would like to find out if walking on heel and toe makes a difference to foot muscle spasm compared to regular walking. I would like to find out if walking for 30 minutes daily makes a difference to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adults compared to running for 10 minutes. I would like to find out if drinking 100ml of kombucha daily makes a difference to the frequency of asthma flare-ups in adults compared to not drinking 100ml of kombucha daily. I would like to find out if having a pet makes a difference to mental health compared to not having a pet. I would like to find out if finishing at least one book per month makes a difference to the risk of developing dementia in adults over 70 compared to those who do not finish at least one book per month. I would like to find out if a daily portion of kombucha makes a difference to hayfever symptoms compared to not drinking kombucha. I would like to find out if a daily portion of kombucha makes a difference to gut health compared to not drinking kombucha. I would like to find out if omega-3 makes a difference to heart health compared to not taking it. I would like to find out if linden tea makes a difference to insomnia compared to not drinking linden tea. I would like to find out if chocolate makes a difference to mood compared to caffeine. I would like to find out if sleeping next to your partner makes a difference to sleep compared to sleeping separately. I would like to find out if time limitations on social networking sites (SNS) make a difference to detecting psychological dependency on others compared to independence. I would like to find out if socialising in person makes a difference to quality of life and happiness compared to phone calls and texting. I would like to find out if hand-washing and food-handling training for street vendors makes a difference to foodborne illness rates in the nearby community compared to no training. I would like to find out if eating breakfast makes a difference to attention and concentration compared to skipping breakfast.
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Reason 2: The questions cannot be answered with this type of review.Systematic reviews of randomised trials are the best way to figure out if a healthcare intervention works (which is why we've chosen this type of review for The People's Review). Some of you sent in some great questions that would be super interesting to explore. However, we would need to include other types of studies (not trials) to answer them -- so we couldn't bring them through to Stage 2. Randomised trials are not always the most appropriate way to investigate some health research topics. Sometimes other designs are more appropriate, practical and safe. Therefore questions that would be better answered with reviews including different types of studies (other than trials) were excluded. See the list below of questions we excluded for this reason: I would like to find out if long-term moderate use of coffee as a stimulant makes a difference to your overall health and well-being compared to not drinking any coffee at all, and being naturally stimulated by a consistent daily cycle of activities, in adults. I would like to find out if incorporating intense restrictive measures on phones and social media until children leave secondary school makes a difference to a child/teenager's (5–18 years) development compared to social media and the use of smartphones. I would like to find out if weekly meal planning makes a difference to diet quality compared to not weekly meal planning. I would like to find out if food shopping more frequently makes a difference to diet quality compared to less frequent shopping. I would like to find out if drinking coffee makes a difference to cardiovascular health compared to not drinking coffee. I would like to find out if predominantly getting news from trusted news sources (e.g. national or international TV, radio or newspapers) makes a difference to stress levels compared to predominantly getting news from social media. I would like to find out if eating local produce makes a difference to overall health compared to eating imported goods. I would like to find out if eating high sugar foods makes a difference to diabetes risk compared to eating the same calories in less sugary food. I would like to find out if exclusive breastfeeding for six months makes a difference to development of food allergies compared to mixed feeding. I would like to find out if playing an instrument makes a difference to memory and ability to learn compared to not playing an instrument. I would like to find out if early-life exposure to antibiotics makes a difference to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life compared to individuals with minimal or no antibiotic exposure in early life. I would like to find out if using hearing aids when suffering hearing loss makes a difference to the chances of dementia or mental decline in older people compared to leaving hearing loss untreated. I would like to find out if undiagnosed people with autism, ADHD, or both have a higher incidence of addiction or alcoholism compared to the general population. I would like to find out if an intermittent healthy lifestyle makes a difference to liver function compared to a consistent healthy lifestyle. I would like to find out if tropical climate makes a difference to weight change compared to cold and dry climate. I would like to find out if smartphone addiction makes a difference to sleep quality in medical students compared to people who do not use smartphones. I would like to find out if exposure to mental health-related social media content in younger adults and teenagers makes a difference to self-diagnosis of psychiatric conditions compared to formal teaching on mental health. I would like to find out if early childhood exposure to pathogens makes a difference to development of autoimmune conditions in adulthood compared to decreased exposure to pathogens in childhood. I would like to find out if earlier diagnosis of chronic conditions in older adults makes a difference to development of mental health conditions compared to later diagnosis of chronic conditions. I would like to find out if retirement homes make a difference to older people compared to living at home. I would like to find out if sunshine makes a difference to mental health compared to darkness. I would like to find out if parental obesity makes a difference to low BMI compared to autism. I would like to find out if depression (or death of a loved one) makes a difference to progression of Alzheimer’s compared to healthy people. I would like to find out if having a diagnosis of PCOS or endometriosis or similar condition makes a difference to levels of anxiety and depression compared to women in the general population (without a diagnosis). I would like to find out if the effect in adult individuals with seronegative arthropathies makes a difference to health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared to adults in the general healthy population. I would like to find out if check-ups make a difference to prevention of cardiovascular diseases compared to people who do not attend check-ups. I would like to find out if settled status of Irish Travellers makes a difference to quality and access to healthcare compared to non-settled Irish Travellers. I would like to find out if rural populations make a difference to longevity compared to urban populations. I would like to find out if farming as a lifestyle/occupation makes a difference to overall physical health compared to people who exercise in the gym. I would like to find out if receipt of formal ADHD diagnosis makes a difference to adults (those aged 25+) with ADHD symptoms compared to adults with ADHD symptoms that remain undiagnosed. I would like to find out if substance use disorder and homelessness makes a difference to climate resiliency compared to substance use disorder but housed. I would like to find out if supportive food environments make a difference to the health of children in Ireland compared to environments shaped by commercial players and free market economy principles.
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Reason 1: The questions are likely not be relatable to most people.We totally understand that what is relatable to you might not be relatable to someone else. As a team, eight of us have had a look at the questions… and even between the eight of us we disagreed about what ‘relatable’ actually means. In the end, we interpreted a ‘relatable’ question as one that is applicable to most or at least a lot of people. With that in mind, we excluded questions that were looking at a specific disease or group of people. After all, we want a review of an intervention that is cheap and readily available to people around the world. See the list below of all the questions we excluded for this reason: I would like to find out if infection prevention and control training upon hiring makes a difference to infection occurrence compared to no training. I would like to find out if AI-generated plain language summaries of medical research make a difference to patient understanding compared to human-generated summaries. I would like to find out if extinction makes a difference to long-term outcome of childhood insomnia compared to no care. I would like to find out if RAAS inhibitors (ACEIs, ARBs, and ARNIs) make a difference to treating heart failure in pediatric patients compared to beta blockers such as carvedilol. I would like to find out if dry needling makes a difference to pain and discomfort for people with a slipped disk compared to other types of interventions. I would like to find out if the FODMAP diet makes a difference to children with recurrent abdominal pain compared to normal dietary advice. I would like to find out if body massages make a difference to pain and fatigue felt by people with autoimmune diseases compared to only taking the usual medication(s). I would like to find out if pituitary hormone supplementation makes a difference to outcomes in severe traumatic brain injury compared to no supplementation. I would like to find out which medication or treatment used for other conditions makes a difference to the ability to work, study, or socialise in people with ME or long COVID compared to other treatments. I would like to find out if anti-inflammatory drugs make a difference to post-viral fatigue compared to not taking anti-inflammatory drugs. I would like to find out if botulinum toxin type A makes a difference to the treatment of lower limb dystonia compared to a placebo. I would like to find out if non-chemical cleansers for disinfection of removable dental prostheses make a difference to the reduction in colony-forming units (CFU) of candida spp. compared to chemical cleansers. I would like to find out if myofascial therapy makes a difference to improving TMJ pain compared to the use of orthotics. I would like to find out if acupuncture makes a difference to reducing occipital neuralgia pain compared to amitriptyline. I would like to find out if the Brunnstrom technique makes a difference to stroke presentation compared to the Bobath technique. I would like to find out if prewriting skills make a difference to handwriting in children with cerebral palsy compared to typically developing children. I would like to find out if daily consumption of milk or dairy products makes a difference to bone density or fracture risk compared to people with lactose intolerance or those who consume dairy occasionally. I would like to find out if platelet-rich plasma and/or bone marrow aspirate makes a difference to ACL reconstruction compared to sham/placebo. I would like to find out if physical therapy makes a difference to post-stroke spasticity compared to no treatment. I would like to find out if the use of objective blood loss estimation methods at caesarean section makes a difference to maternal outcomes related to postpartum haemorrhage compared to visual estimation. I would like to find out if routine antenatal screening for anaemia using serum ferritin levels makes a difference to maternal outcomes compared to using haemoglobin levels. I would like to find out if drinking coffee makes a difference to birth outcomes in people who are pregnant compared to not drinking coffee. I would like to find out if playing video games or doing puzzles makes a difference to cognitive recovery in stroke patients compared to other occupational therapy exercises. I would like to find out if weight-bearing exercises three times a week make a difference to reducing osteoporosis risk in adults with severe asthma compared to not exercising. I would like to find out if meclizine makes a difference to vertigo in benign positional vertigo compared to the Epley maneuver. I would like to find out if regular exercise outdoors makes a difference to people with multiple sclerosis compared to resting indoors. I would like to find out if using personalized treatment plans based on genetic profiling makes a difference to outcomes in drug-resistant TB compared to standardized treatment. I would like to find out if using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to guide antiretroviral therapy makes a difference to viral suppression and drug resistance in people with HIV compared to standard resistance testing. I would like to find out if implementing a molecular-first TB testing algorithm (e.g., Xpert MTB/RIF) makes a difference to cost-effectiveness and time to diagnosis compared to smear microscopy-first algorithms. I would like to find out if a daily strengthening regime for knee muscles makes a difference to knee pain in people with knee arthritis compared to no strengthening regime. I would like to find out if uterine artery embolization makes a difference to outcomes in women with symptomatic fibroids compared to surgical myomectomy. I would like to find out if traumatic brain injury recovery methods make a difference to quality of life compared to standard pharmaceutical treatments. I would like to find out if whole blood transfusion makes a difference to outcomes in traumatic injuries compared to component therapy. I would like to find out if plasma biomarker testing in mild to moderate traumatic brain injury makes a difference to intracranial pathology outcomes compared to standard imaging and clinical scoring. I would like to find out how quality of life and socioeconomic livelihood are affected in adults with seronegative arthropathies compared to the general population. I would like to find out if mental health screening and interventions (e.g., CBT, stress management) make a difference to psoriasis recurrence compared to no screening or standard care. I would like to find out if offering therapy to a child with multiple age-appropriate speech sound errors makes a difference compared to not offering therapy. I would like to find out if a low glycaemic index diet makes a difference to pregnancy outcomes compared to standard dietary recommendations for gestational diabetes. I would like to find out if community-based wellness programs integrating psychological safety and participatory healing make a difference to trust, wellbeing, and cohesion compared to standard public health models. I would like to find out if yoga makes a difference to menstrual cramps compared to not doing yoga. I would like to find out if mindfulness makes a difference to vasomotor symptoms (e.g., hot flushes) in menopausal women compared to standard care. I would like to find out if smokeless tobacco makes a difference to oral health compared to smoked tobacco. I would like to find out if acupuncture makes a difference to smoking cessation compared to nicotine replacement therapy. I would like to find out if regular vaping or e-cigarette use makes a difference to lung health compared to smoking cigarettes. I would like to find out if bottle feeding pumped breast milk makes a difference to a child’s wellbeing compared to feeding directly from the breast. I would like to find out if cannabis makes a difference to anxiety compared to standard pharmacological treatments. I would like to find out if wearing dental prostheses (dentures) makes a difference to how older people feel about themselves compared to not using prostheses. I would like to find out if playing music makes a difference to physical health compared to not playing music. I would like to find out if organizational interventions (e.g., workload management, leadership training) make a difference to psychological health and workplace outcomes compared to traditional EAP models or no intervention. I would like to find out if wearing a continuous glucose monitoring device makes a difference to weight control compared to not wearing one. I would like to find out if using a sauna regularly makes a difference to health compared to not using a sauna. I would like to find out if the keto diet makes a difference to weight loss and maintenance compared to a low-carb diet. I would like to find out if ashwagandha makes a difference to sleep compared to not taking ashwagandha. I would like to find out if regular rebounding (on a mini trampoline) makes a difference to bone density in women compared to not rebounding.
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Reason 3: There has already been a systematic review published that addresses these questions.We don’t want to waste our time trying to answer a question that has already been answered, right? So, we already did a some searching to see whether there was a systematic review already published about each of the questions you suggested! We found a few reviews recently published about the questions listed here so we can exclude them. See the list below with links to the systematic reviews we found. I would like to find out if creatine makes a difference to attention and concentration compared to not taking creatine. I would like to find out if adding antidepressant medication (e.g., amitriptyline, duloxetine, venlafaxine) to usual analgesic treatment makes a difference to pain intensity and functional ability in adults with non-specific severe low back pain compared to usual analgesic treatment alone (without antidepressant medication). I would like to find out if blue light glasses (computer glasses) or reading mode on a phone makes a difference to protecting our eyes compared to not using them. I would like to find out if drinking water before giving blood makes a difference to vasovagal reaction (e.g., fainting) compared to not drinking water before giving blood. I would like to find out if washing hands with soap makes a difference to frequency of illness compared to washing hands with sanitiser. I would like to find out if coffee makes a difference to anxiety compared to not consuming caffeine. I would like to find out if yoga makes a difference to depression compared to standard pharmacological treatments. I would like to find out if taking turmeric supplements makes a difference to muscle inflammation compared to not taking a turmeric supplement. I would like to find out if taking regular, short breaks in the workplace makes a difference to productivity compared to no intervention. I would like to find out if meditation before bed makes a difference to sleep quality compared to no meditation before bed. I would like to find out if cold showers or cold plunges make a difference to mood compared to regular showers. I would like to find out if exercise outdoors makes a difference to mental and physical health compared to exercise indoors. I would like to find out if acupuncture makes a difference to low back pain compared to nothing or regular care. I would like to find out if gardening makes a difference to mood compared to not gardening. I would like to find out if exercise makes a difference to respiratory infection compared to no exercise. I would like to find out if garlic makes a difference to the common cold and flu compared to not taking garlic. I would like to find out if omega-3 makes a difference to sleep compared to not taking omega-3.
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Reason 5: Review on these questions would not be manageable within the scope of The People's Review.An important step when starting any systematic review is considering the resources you have. Because the purpose of The People's Review is to learn together about a systematic review we want this to be our main focus. If we choose a very big (e.g. a review that would include 100's of trials) and complex review things can get messy and complicated very quickly. So we have excluded some questions because they are likely going to be giant, complex reviews that we won’t be able to manage. Scroll through the list below to see the questions we excluded for this reason. I would like to find out if incline walking makes a difference to health compared to running. I would like to find out if running on pavements makes a difference to bone health compared to running on grass. I would like to find out if waiting 90 minutes after waking up before having a coffee makes a difference to energy levels, alertness, focus and mood compared to drinking coffee straight away after waking up, in adults. I would like to find out if spending time in a room with natural light makes a difference to mood compared to spending time in a room with artificial light. I would like to find out if avoiding phone use for the first hour after waking makes a difference to focus throughout the day in adults compared to using the phone immediately upon waking. I would like to find out if working a 30-hour week makes a difference to cognitive efficiency and fatigue in adults compared to working 40 or more hours per week. I would like to find out if checking emails only twice a day makes a difference to focus and cognitive fatigue compared to checking emails continuously throughout the day. I would like to find out if narrative therapy rooted in cultural/historical context makes a difference to post-traumatic symptom reduction, identity development, and therapeutic alliance compared to trauma-focused CBT. I would like to find out if the Mediterranean diet makes a difference to preventing the common cold compared to other diets. I would like to find out if a calm nurse dealing with a patient makes a difference to patient experience and outcomes compared to a loud or rushed nurse. I would like to find out if listening to music on lower volumes in earphones makes a difference to hearing compared to listening to music at high volumes. I would like to find out if mainstream use of artificial intelligence models in young adults makes a difference to disease prognosis of common pathologies compared to lower use of artificial intelligence models. I would like to find out if milk chocolate makes a difference to tooth decay compared to milk chocolate. (Note: This comparison is unclear — may need clarification.) I would like to find out if reading books before bed makes a difference to sleep compared to listening to audiobooks before bed. I would like to find out if shaving with a razor makes a difference to hair growth and thickness compared to not shaving with a razor. I would like to find out if walking on heel and toe makes a difference to foot muscle spasm compared to regular walking. I would like to find out if walking for 30 minutes daily makes a difference to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adults compared to running for 10 minutes. I would like to find out if drinking 100ml of kombucha daily makes a difference to the frequency of asthma flare-ups in adults compared to not drinking 100ml of kombucha daily. I would like to find out if having a pet makes a difference to mental health compared to not having a pet. I would like to find out if finishing at least one book per month makes a difference to the risk of developing dementia in adults over 70 compared to those who do not finish at least one book per month. I would like to find out if a daily portion of kombucha makes a difference to hayfever symptoms compared to not drinking kombucha. I would like to find out if a daily portion of kombucha makes a difference to gut health compared to not drinking kombucha. I would like to find out if omega-3 makes a difference to heart health compared to not taking it. I would like to find out if linden tea makes a difference to insomnia compared to not drinking linden tea. I would like to find out if chocolate makes a difference to mood compared to caffeine. I would like to find out if sleeping next to your partner makes a difference to sleep compared to sleeping separately. I would like to find out if time limitations on social networking sites (SNS) make a difference to detecting psychological dependency on others compared to independence. I would like to find out if socialising in person makes a difference to quality of life and happiness compared to phone calls and texting. I would like to find out if hand-washing and food-handling training for street vendors makes a difference to foodborne illness rates in the nearby community compared to no training. I would like to find out if eating breakfast makes a difference to attention and concentration compared to skipping breakfast.
The 21 questions that made it through to Stage 2: Round 1
We want the question that The People's Review will try to answer to be a question that people want to know the answer to. So we invited YOU to decide which questions you liked the most. These were the questions that people voted on...
1. I would like to find out if using blue light filters on screens makes a difference to sleep in comparison to not using blue light filters on screens
4. I would like to find out if being involved in shared decision-making with healthcare providers makes a difference to feelings of control and satisfaction in comparison to standard care without shared decisions
7. I would like to find out if omega 3 makes a difference to brain health and cognition in comparison to not taking omega 3
10. I would like to find out if physical activity interventions makes a difference to mental health in comparison to no intervention
13. I would like to find out if exercise tracking apps makes a difference to physical fitness in comparison to no exercise tracking app
16. I would like to find out if counting steps makes a difference to general health, cardiac health, or weight-loss in comparison to not counting steps
19. I would like to find out if open-water swimming (in a sea, the ocean, a lake or a river) makes a difference to mental health in comparison to not taking part in open-water swimming
2. I would like to find out if taking a magnesium supplement before bed makes a difference to sleep in comparison to not taking one
5. I would like to find out if lifting weights makes a difference to overall health and quality of life in older adults in comparison to aerobic exercise e.g. walking
8. I would like to find out if having a room with an outside view makes a difference to number of days spent in hospital and health outcomes in comparison to having a room with no outside view
11. I would like to find out if guided imagery (a method of relaxation focusing on positive images) makes a difference to pain in comparison to no guided imagery
14. I would like to find out if showering before bed makes a difference to sleep in comparison to not showering before bed
17. I would like to find out if drinking green tea or matcha makes a difference to cognitive function in comparison to not drinking green tea or matcha
20. I would like to find out if yoga makes a difference to sleep in comparison to not doing yoga
3. I would like to find out if eating a wholefood diet, free from ultra processed foods makes a difference to relevant health outcomes in comparison to regular diet
6. I would like to find out if listening to music makes a difference to memory, attention, concentration and information retrieval in comparison to not listening to music
9. I would like to find out if vitamin D makes a difference to immunity in comparison to a placebo
12. I would like to find out if taking a multivitamin makes a difference to overall health in comparison to not taking a multivitamin
15. I would like to find out if guided meditation makes a difference to anxiety in comparison to no meditation
18. I would like to find out if eating eggs makes a difference to cholesterol levels in comparison to not eating eggs
21. I would like to find out if kiwi fruit makes a difference to sleep in comparison to not eating kiwi fruit
The top 3 questions that then made it through to Stage 2: Round 2
Finally the public ranked the top 3 questions to decide the People's favourite question. Originally we planned to include 5 questions in this round. However, upon closer inspection we noticed that some of the top questions had been either answered with a systematic review already, or they would not be manageable within the scope of The People's Review. The top 3 questions (that had not be answered before, and were manageable within the scope of The People's Review) were...