Table 2.
 Methodological quality of 20 of 30 included qualitative studies that had sufficient information to carry out a quality assessment
| Quality criterion | Met criterion | Did not meet criterion | Unclear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is this study qualitative research? | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| Are research questions clearly stated? | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| Have ethical issues been taken into consideration? | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| Is qualitative approach clearly justified? | 4 | 10 | 6 |
| Is approach appropriate for research question? | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| Is study context clearly described? | 8 | 9 | 3 |
| Is role of researcher clearly described? | 2 | 17 | 1 |
| Is sampling method clearly described? | 11 | 6 | 3 |
| Is sampling strategy appropriate for research question? | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Is method of data collection clearly described? | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Is data collection method appropriate to research question? | 16* | 0 | 4 |
| Is method of analysis clearly described? | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| Is analysis appropriate for research question? | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Are claims made supported by sufficient evidence? | 11 | 6 | 3 |
*For five studies for which the details of methods of data collection were not clearly described or were unclear (for example, where and when data were collected), the data collection method itself, such as individual interviews or focus group discussions, was assessed as appropriate to research question.