In this study, Joshua Polanin and Mary Terzian provide an explanation of why primary study authors are unwilling to share their data and evaluate whether sending a data-sharing agreement affects participants’ willingness to share IPD. They sampled and surveyed more than 700 researchers whose studies had been included in recently published meta-analyses, splitting the sample into control and treatment groups and using a hypothetical data-sharing agreement as an intervention. Participants who received a data-sharing agreement were more willing to share their data set, compared with control participants, even after controlling for demographics and pretest values (d = 0.65, 95% CI [0.39, 0.90]). A member of the control group is 24% more likely to share her data set should she receive the data-sharing agreement

These findings shed light on data-sharing practices, attitudes, and concerns and can be used to inform future meta-analysis projects seeking to collect IPD, as well as the field at large.

Publications associated with this project: