Table B.

Quality Assessment of Included Studies

Name/Year published	Sufficient sample size	Robust sampling methodology	Valid dementia measurement	Valid ED measurement	Controlled for confounding	Comments/concerns
Amjad et al. 2016	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓
Bloom et al. 2004	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓✗	Did not control for survival
Brummel-Smith 2001	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗
Deb et al. 2017	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	Prevalence of dementia much lower than other studies
Eaker et al. 2001	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓✗	Did not control for comorbidities
Feng et al. 2014	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Fillit et al. 2002	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	Unvalidated method of assessing dementia severity
Grober et al. 2012	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓
Hill et al. 2005	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	Unvalidated method of assessing dementia subtype
Husaini et al. 2003	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗
LaMantia et al. 2015	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	Cost was primary outcome of study
Leibson et al. 2015	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	Cost was primary outcome of study
Leon et al. 2000	✓✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	Small sample sizes in subgroups
McCormick et al. 2001	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	Cost was primary outcome of study
Ng et al. 2014	✓✗	✓	✓	✓✗	✓	Small sample sizes for some variables included in statistical model
Richards et al. 2000	✓	✓	✗	✓	?	Unclear if ED visits adjusted for age and sex or just cost adjusted
Sloane et al. 2017	✓✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	Small sample sizes for some variables included in statistical model
Tian et al. 2014	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	Unvalidated method for assessing dementia + dysphagia
Zhao et al. 2008	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓

✓=yes ✗=no ✓✗ = partially ✓