Hello Monali,
To answer your question about data extraction and why someone would want to pay to use EPPI-Reviewer I would reply that data extraction is just one part of the many steps in carrying out a systematic review. As well, collecting numeric outcome data is also just one part of most data extractions.
EPPI-Reviewer will help you manage your systematic review by holding all of your data, from search results to screening and data extraction in one location. By having it all within the same system you can then run reports and carry out analysis across all parts of your review. Being a web based system users can work and collaborate while being in different locations. EPPI-Reviewer will also provide quality control as any changes made to screening or coding tools are visible to all users. All users will be working within the same parameters.
You can carry out a systematic review using different pieces of software for the various stages but you will lose the advantages that a specialised tool such as EPPI-Reviewer can provide.
As for using STATA to carry out your meta-analysis, if that is a piece of software that you are most familiar with then it makes sense that you use it. We have tried to make EPPI-Reviewer flexible enough to allow users to export their data into other software. But I would also add that the meta-analysis functions in EPPI-Reviewer are used by many systematic reviewers. If there is some functionality that you required that is not available in EPPI-Reviewer’s meta-analysis functions, we would be interested in hearing from you. EPPI-Reviewer 4 is developed based on the feedback from our users and anything you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Jeff