| Item No. |
Guide and Description |
Report Location |
| 1. Aim |
State the research question the synthesis addresses |
p. 2 |
| 2. Synthesis methodology |
Identify the synthesis methodology or theoretical framework which underpins the synthesis, and describe the rationale for choice of methodology (e.g. meta- ethnography, thematic synthesis, critical interpretive synthesis, grounded theory synthesis, realist synthesis, meta-aggregation, meta-study, framework synthesis) |
Thematic Analysis p.3 |
| 3. Approach to searching |
Indicate whether the search was pre-planned (comprehensive search strategies to seek all available studies) or iterative (to seek all available concepts until they theoretical saturation is achieved) |
p. 2 |
| 4. Inclusion criteria |
Specify the inclusion/exclusion criteria (e.g. in terms of population, language, year limits, type of publication, study type) |
p. 2 |
| 5. Data sources |
Describe the information sources used (e.g. electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, psycINFO), grey literature databases (digital thesis, policy reports), relevant organisational websites, experts, information specialists, generic web searches (Google Scholar) hand searching, reference lists) and when the searches conducted; provide the rationale for using the data sources |
p. 2 |
| 6. Electronic Search strategy |
Describe the literature search (e.g. provide electronic search strategies with population terms, clinical or health topic terms, experiential or social phenomena related terms, filters for qualitative research, and search limits) |
p. 2 |
| 7. Study screening methods |
Describe the process of study screening and sifting (e.g. title, abstract and full text review, number of independent reviewers who screened studies) |
pp. 2-3, Fig 1 PRISMA flow diagram |
| 8. Study characteristics |
Present the characteristics of the included studies (e.g. year of publication, country, population, number of participants, data collection, methodology, analysis, research questions) |
pp.3-5 Table 1
|
| 9. Study selection results |
Identify the number of studies screened and provide reasons for study exclusion (e.g. for comprehensive searching, provide numbers of studies screened and reasons for exclusion indicated in a figure/flowchart; for iterative searching describe reasons for study exclusion and inclusion based on modifications to the research question and/or contribution to theory development) |
p. 2, Fig 1 – PRISMA flow diagram |
| 10. Rationale for appraisal |
Describe the rationale and approach used to appraise the included studies or selected findings (e.g. |
pp. 2-3 |
