Table 5.
Critical appraisal of selected studies. Modified scale from Dufault and Klar [29]
| Author (year) | Study design and focus | Statistical methodology | Quality of reporting | Score | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample size | Level of inference | Pre-specification of ecological units | Validity of statistical inferences | Use of covariates | Spatial effects | Proper adjustment for covariates | Statement of study design | Justification of study design | Discussion of cross-level bias and limitations | Points | |
| Liao et al. (2016) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Woolley et al. (2015) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Talbott et al. (2015) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Mueller et al. (2015) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Lamm et al. (2015) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Buchanich et al. (2014) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Brink et al. (2014) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Liu et al. (2013) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Fernandez-Navarro et al. (2012) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Ahern and Hendryx (2012) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Borak et al. (2012) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Ahern et al. (2011) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Esch and Hendryx (2011) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Christian et al. (2011) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Hendryx (2011) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Ahern, MacKay and Hamilton (2011) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Liao et al. (2010) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Hendryx et al. (2010a) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Hendryx, Fedorko and Halverson (2010) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Hitt and Hendryx (2010) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Hendryx (2009) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Hendryx and Ahern (2009) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Hendryx (2008) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Hendryx et al. (2008) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Hendryx et al. (2007) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Gu et al. (2007) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Howel et al. (2001) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Pless-Mulloli et al. (2000) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |