Table 2.2 Summaries of JBI quality appraisal assessments-quasi-experimental studies: quality assessment (21)

Q1. Is it clear in the study what is the ‘cause’ and what is the ‘effect’ (i.e. there is no confusion about which variable comes first)?

✔

✔

Q2. Were the participants included in any comparisons similar?

(Rationale: to minimise selection and allocation bias)

✔

✔

Q3. Were the participants included in any comparisons receiving similar treatment/care, other than the exposure or intervention of interest?

✔

✔

Q4. Was there a control group?

✔

✔

Q5. Were there multiple measurements of the outcome both pre and post the intervention/exposure?

X

X

Q6. Was follow up complete and if not, were differences between groups in terms of their follow up adequately described and analyzed?

U

✔

Q7. Were the outcomes of participants included in any comparisons measured in the same way?

(Rationale: to minimise detection bias)

✔

✔

Q8. Were outcomes measured in a reliable way?

(Rationale: to minimise the measurement of the outcome bias)

X

✔

Q9. Was appropriate statistical analysis used?

(Rationale: to minimise errors of statistical inference.)

X

✔

Overall appraisal

E

I