Table 1.

Criteria for quality evaluation by Kmet et al. 2004 [40, pages 4-5].

Criteria used for quantitative studies

Criteria used for qualitative studies

(1) Question/objective sufficiently described? (2) Study design evident and appropriate? (3) Method of subject/comparison group selection or source of information/input variables described and appropriate? (4) Subject (and comparison group, if applicable) characteristics sufficiently described? (5) If interventional and random allocation was possible, was it described? (6) If intervention and blinding of investigators were possible, was it reported? (7) If interventional and blinding of subjects were possible, was it reported? (8) Outcome and (if applicable) exposure measure(s) well defined and robust to measurement/misclassification bias? Means of assessment reported? (9) Sample size appropriate? (10) Analytic methods described/justified and appropriate? (11) Some estimate of variance is reported for the main results? (12) Controlled for confounding? (13) Results reported in sufficient detail? (14) Conclusions supported by the results?

(1) Question/objective sufficiently described? (2) Study design evident and appropriate? (3) Context for the study clear? (4) Connection to a theoretical framework/wider body of knowledge? (5) Sampling strategy described, relevant and justified? (6) Data collection methods clearly described and systematic? (7) Data analysis clearly described and systematic? (8) Use of verification procedure(s) to establish credibility? (9) Conclusions supported by the results? (10) Reflexivity of the account?