Table 2.
Study effects, by study design
| Number of studies reporting SS effect / number of studies reporting outcome | Studies in Cochrane review | Newly added studies | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCT | QRCT | CBA* | CBA | BA | ITS | XS | |
| N = 15 | N = 1 | N = 4 | N = 7 | N = 22 | N = 6 | N = 2 | |
| Asthma-specific quality of life | 9 / 12 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 2 / 3 | 5 / 5 | - | - |
| Hospitalisations | 3 / 6 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 3 / 4 | 8 / 13 | 3 / 6 | 0 / 1 |
| ED or unscheduled visits | 1 / 6 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 3 / 4 | 13 / 16 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 |
| Asthma self-efficacy | 4 / 5 | - | 1 / 1 | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3 | - | 1 / 1 |
| Asthma severity | 5 / 8 | 1 / 1 | - | 2 / 2 | 6 / 7 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Days off school or work | 0 / 2 | - | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 8 / 11 | - | - |
| Use of an action plan | 1 / 2 | - | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3 | 4 / 5 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 |
| Patient satisfaction | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | - | - | 2 / 3 | 0 / 1 | - |
| Lung function | 4 / 12 | 0 / 1 | - | 1 / 1 | 6 / 13 | - | - |
RCT randomised controlled trial, QRCT quasi-randomised controlled trial, CBA* controlled before-after study (with at least two intervention and two control sites), CBA controlled before-after study, ITS interrupted-times-series study, BA before-after study (without external control group), XS cross-sectional study (with concurrent measurement of intervention exposure and outcomes), SS statistically significant, ED emergency department