Table 3.
Number of studies (percentage) reporting on the selected items to assess the search strategies in different periods
| Items | Before 2005 (n = 7) | 2006–10 (n = 18) | 2011–15 (n = 60) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At least two databases searched | 3 (43) | 7 (39) | 38 (63) | 48 (56) |
| Search terms described | 3 (43) | 10 (56) | 32 (53) | 45 (53) |
| Search strategy described | 4 (57) | 8 (44) | 28 (47) | 40 (47) |
| Grey literature searched | 0 (0) | 1 (6) | 11 (18) | 12 (14) |
| Hand search performed | 0 (0) | 1 (6) | 6 (10) | 7 (8) |
| Search performed in duplicate | 0 (0) | 1 (6) | 1 (2) | 2 (2) |
| Language restriction | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (12) | 7 (8) |
| Contact with authors | 0 (0) | 1 (6) | 2 (3) | 3 (4) |
| Interface reported | 2 (29) | 14 (78) | 43 (72) | 59 (69) |
Data are presented as number (percentage) unless otherwise stated.