WARNReviewer 1· 80% conf
The methods are detailed, outcomes are all reported, and funding/COI statements are present. However, no reporting guideline is referenced, limitations are only briefly discussed, and conclusions are slightly overstated.
Evidence
direct quote[Method of Approach, MLM Analysis]
“Simple two-level structure that can be seen in the following multilevel modeling, with one predictor variable each at level 1 and level 2”direct quote[Concluding Comments]
“The measurement of radon concentration relied on self-reported devices and thus was subject to response bias.”direct quote[Results and Discussion]
“The results of this research prove our hypothesis statement that indoor radon concentrations and fracking in Ohio are related.”WARNReviewer 2· 80% conf
While limitations are discussed and outcomes are reported, the methods lack replication details, no reporting guideline is followed, and conclusions are partly overstated.
Evidence
direct quote[Concluding Comments]
“The limitation of the study should be kept in mind when interpreting study findings. The most important concern is the data.”direct quote[Conflict of Interest Statement]
“The radon data used in this study were collected during the grants provided by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH)/the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).”direct quote[Concluding Comments]
“The statistical results interpret that there is a strong correlation between indoor radon concentrations and hydraulic fracturing in Ohio.”WARNReviewer 3· 80% conf
Methods are described in detail, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and funding/COI is provided. However, no trial registration or reporting guideline is followed (not required for this study type), and not all outcomes are pre-specified or reported (e.g., year-by-year results vary and significance is inconsistent, but all results are presented). The biggest gap is the lack of a pre-registered analysis plan for the multilevel model.
Evidence
absence[Entire paper]
No reporting guideline (e.g., STROBE) is mentioned.direct quote[Concluding Comments]
“The limitation of the study should be kept in mind when interpreting study findings. The most important concern is the data. The measurement of radon concentration relied on self-reported devices and thus was subject to response bias.”direct quote[Conflict of Interest Statement]
“The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.”