Unpack a Composite Outcome Before Citing It
A composite outcome combines more than one event or measure into a single endpoint. Before citing the combined result, inspect what went into it and whether the components matter equally to your rationale.
The worked examples are teaching aids. Check them against your own source material and the requirements of your specific task.
Start with the task
Cochrane's outcome-selection guidance emphasises defining outcome measures, including composites.
Unpack the label
For a fictional educational study, “successful follow-up” might mean completing a questionnaire, attending a session, or contacting a support service. A participant meeting any one condition could count toward the composite, depending on the definition.
The combined result does not establish improvement in all three components. A frequent, easier-to-change component might account for much of the difference.
Write each component, its definition, its frequency if reported, and its relevance to the assignment's goal.
Check how events were counted
Does the endpoint count people with at least one event, the first event, or a total number of events? The interpretation changes with the rule.
Do not add component counts unless the reporting makes clear that they are mutually exclusive. The same participant may contribute to more than one component.
If component results are not available, state the limit rather than assuming they follow the composite.
Keep the rationale component-specific
If the care-plan goal concerns understanding, a composite dominated by attendance may not directly support a claim about understanding. The paper may still contribute useful context, but the evidence link needs narrowing.
Read the study's uncertainty and limitations as well as the endpoint definition. A statistically persuasive composite can remain an imperfect match for the claim you want to make.
Use the rationale guide and retain the endpoint definition in Nursevi. A convenient summary label should not conceal which outcome actually changed.