PONE-D-21-32823Characteristics of alcohol recovery narratives: systematic review and narrative synthesisPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Subhani

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Reviewers' comments:

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Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: This review is informative and helps the reader gain an easy understanding about the process of alcohol recovery, as well as the importance of incorporating narratives.

It may be helpful if the authors can add more details about the quality analysis of the studies reviewed. While the use if critical appraisal skills program has been mentioned, for the reader who may not be aware of this tool, a few additional details will help give a clearer picture as to how the quality of the study was assessed.

Reviewer #2: This systematic review is an excellent and balanced overview that includes 32 studies (29 qualitative, 3 mixed-methods, 1055 sample size from Europe and United states, includes multiple databases, spanning 30 years (male predominant, 41 % from AA recovery group), gives an interesting perspective of role of recovery narratives in alcohol recovery. It aims to produce a conceptual framework with multiple dimensions describing the characteristics of alcohol misuse recovery narratives from the available literature. It focuses mostly on Alcoholic Anonymous(AA) or other unstructured formal treatment for alcohol use recovery. It has a good subgroup analysis of all dimensions. Major limitation is, its missing people in lower income countries, as no research literature available in those areas, lacks information who have recovered outside of main services or those who have used services other than AA, and lacks data on females population and ethnic diversity especially in non Caucasian. It does include indigenous population and LGBTQ. Furthermore, this framework will help to identify gaps in knowledge, summarize range of methods, enables developing future research.

They have registered in Prospero, followed Prisma guidelines, is part of NIH grant, did CASP for ROB assessment, Has good Inclusion, exclusion criteria, and approach towards outcomes.

However, I have a suggestions that could be added to the article.

In my opinion, Tabulating all of these dimension definitions in a excel sheet with listing the articles or adding this information to the attached excel sheet would Make it more easy to follow. It will help to improve the flow and readability of the text. If a further subgroup analysis could be added separately to include information on concomitant substance use disorders(drug use) and/or mental health issues, then it would give a good perspective in terms forming a better framework. I recommend the article be published.

Reviewer #4: Nicely written article which identifies a conceptual framework including various aspects of chronic alcohol abuse and dependence, the narrative summarize the characteristics well, more than 1000 patient included and psychosocial aspects were explored which adds value

Reviewer #6: This paper aims to produce a conceptual framework describing the characteristics of alcohol misuse recovery narratives that are in the research literature, to inform the development of research, policy, and practice. The systematic review and data synthesis were well organized and all the elements needed for this type of quantitative research appear to be in place. Much of the tabular information is well summarized in the appendices.

The review may have provided characteristics of alcohol recovery narratives, with implications for both research and healthcare practice. It demonstrated knowledge gaps in relation to alcohol recovery narratives of people living in lower income countries, or those who recovered outside

of mainstream services.

Although the information is descriptive and quantitative, the risk of bias from each study should have been represented in tabular form. This is lacking in Table 1 of the supplemental material. Some comments concerning possible sources of heterogeneity and publication bias should have been addressed, especially with the geographical distribution of the data.

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Characteristics of alcohol recovery narratives: systematic review and narrative synthesis

PONE-D-21-32823R1

Dear Dr. Subhani,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Saeed Ahmed, MD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #3: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #4: All comments have been addressed

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Reviewer #2: Yes

Reviewer #3: (No Response)

Reviewer #4: Yes

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3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #2: N/A

Reviewer #3: (No Response)

Reviewer #4: (No Response)

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Reviewer #2: Yes

Reviewer #3: (No Response)

Reviewer #4: Yes

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Reviewer #2: Yes

Reviewer #3: (No Response)

Reviewer #4: Yes

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6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #2: well writing and good frame work

ROB included

Sub group analysis included

Good reading flow

supporting material included

Reviewer #3: (No Response)

Reviewer #4: Good review that provides characteristics of various alcohol recovery narratives. It includes aspects of research and healthcare practice. Managed to elicit knowledge gaps in relation to alcohol recovery narratives of consumers in underprivileged/ low education/ lower income countries, particularly those who recovered outside standard healthcare structures.

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Reviewer #2: No

Reviewer #3: No

Reviewer #4: No