A website for cluster randomised trials including stepped wedge: facilitating quality trials and methodological research.

Abstract

Background: A cluster randomised trial is a randomised controlled trial in which groups of individuals (clusters) are randomised to treatment arms. Stepped wedge cluster randomised trials are a type of cluster randomised trial where clusters are randomised to sequences. These trial designs are important for impacting decision-making, and it is therefore important that they be well-conducted and reported.

Main body: In November 2018, we created a new website dedicated to cluster randomised trials, including stepped wedge designs: https://clusterrandomisedtrials.qmul.ac.uk/ . The idea for the website emerged from the conference on Current Developments in Cluster Randomised Trials and Stepped Wedge Designs held in November 2016 at Queen Mary University of London, with the aim to provide an online resource to facilitate quality trials and methodological research on these types of trial. The website is divided into sections covering Design, Analysis and Reporting for traditional (i.e. parallel two-arm) cluster randomised trials and stepped wedge designs and contains resources in the form of hyperlinks to relevant papers along with brief explanations. A noticeboard page provides details on announcements, events, and past events.

Conclusion: We aim to keep the site updated with the latest publications and events related to cluster randomised trials, and welcome suggestions from the research community on further resources or events to add. We hope that the site will facilitate high-quality traditional and stepped wedge cluster randomised trials.