Table 3.
Quality appraisal of included studies
| First author (year) | Abstract, title | Introduction, aims | Method, data | Sampling | Data analysis | Ethics, bias | Results | Transferability | Implications | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Besser (2012) [15] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Single centre. Purposive sampling. Analysis conducted by > 1 author. |
| French (2005) [16] | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Sampling from 1 centre where patients saw a dietician. |
| Hansen (2014) [17] | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Recruitment from 2 sites. Analysis described in depth and conducted by > 1 author. Topic guide not presented, little discussion of limitations beyond author’s role. |
| Iversen (2011) [18] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Implied consent. |
| Lau (2008) [19] | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Single centre. Purposive sampling. Author demonstrates reflexivity. Minimal description of coding. |
| Mazor (2010) [20] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Single centre study. Purposive sample. Analysis and topic guide clearly described |
| McKenna (2008) [21] | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Multiple recruitment strategies from one area. Analysis conducted by > 1 author. No discussion of limitations |
| McMillan (2014) [22] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Purposive sampling. Recruited from 3 sites |
| Meadows (2005) [23] | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Aim not clearly stated. Convenience sample. |
| Nielsen (2011) [24] | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Men recruited from single site. Analysis described in depth. Author demonstrates reflexivity. |
| Nielsen (2010) [25] | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Multi-site study. Analysis and topic guide described in depth. Author demonstrates reflexivity |
| Sale (2010) [26] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Participants from a standardised programme in 1 fracture clinic. |
| Salter (2014) [27] | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Longitudinal qualitative study embedded within a multi-centre trial. Purposive sample. 2 interviews per participant. Topic guide and analysis clearly described |
| Schiller (2015) [28] | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | No clear message for practice or further research |
| Solimeo (2011) [29] | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Lacking implications beyond need for gender-sensitive treatment protocols |
| Svensson (2016) [30] | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | No quotes to support findings. No attention to deviant cases. |
Scores represent quality ratings: 1 = very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = fair, 4 = good