Table 1.

Average statistics for these attributes of target participants in the 40 selected RCTs

% Who are not the dominant ethnic group within that country N = 38	% Low income (<= US $20 k/year) N = 18	% With low or inadequate HL N = 23	% with < 12 years of eductn or GED N = 33	Mean age (yrs) N = 40	Gender % F N = 39	Latest observation point after intervention start (weeks) N = 40	% clearly used a validated HL instrument N = 40
57.7 (23–95)	54.7 (30–76)	43.3 (23–61)	36.5 (3–64)	52 (45–60)	63.7 (60–77)	23 (2–26)	73

N = number of studies where data were available. Interquartile 25th–75th percentile range in parentheses