Table 1.
Number and proportion of reported studies employing different methodological designs
| Study type | UK (n=519) | USA (n=616) | Overall (n=1135) for UK and USA (with 95% confidence interval (CI)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized controlled trials [n (%)] | 29 (5.6) | 34 (5.6) | 63 (5.6, 95% CI 4.4-7.0) |
| Systematic reviews & meta-analyses [n (%)] | 37 (7.1) | 22 (3.8) | 59 (5.2, 95% CI 4.1-6.7) |
| Analytical [n (%)] | 178 (34.3) | 294 (48.8) | 474 (41.5, 95% CI 38.7-44.4) |
| Descriptive/qualitative [n (%)] | 116 (22.4) | 79 (12.8) | 195 (17.2, 95% CI 9.3-13.0) |
| All others [n (%)] | 159 (30.6) | 187 (30.4) | 346 (30.5, 95% CI 27.9-33.2) |