Table 3.

HYPERTENSION: Outcomes for each individual study and statistical significance

Study	Number analysed	Contracts details	Co‐interventions	Control description	Control details	Outcomes: favouring intervention	Outcomes: favouring control	Outcomes: no difference
Binstock 1988	112	‐ Group (1) Contracts + educational program. ‐ Group (2) Contracts + educational programme + BP measurement at home + calendar pills.	Yes	Educational	‐ Group (3) Bi‐monthly educational program. ‐ Group (4) Educational + BP measurement at home. ‐ Group (5) Calendar pills.			Change of blood pressure from baseline to 1 year follow up (not significant differences between groups 1, 2, 4 and 5).
Hoelscher 1986	50	‐ Group (1) Contracts / group relaxation.	Yes	Complex	‐ Group (2) Individual relaxation. ‐ Group (3) Group relaxation. ‐ Group (4) Waiting list.	Cost‐effectiveness (1 versus 2).	Compliance with relaxation practices (1 versus 3).	Blood pressure reduction at 6 and 10 weeks (not significant 1 against 3)
Schulman 1980	91	‐ Group (1) Contract with behavioural goals.	Yes	Educational	‐ Group (2) Routine / education booklets. ‐ Group (3) Routine.	Active Patient Orientation scores (see text for further explanations). Availability of treatment resources score (1 versus 2 and 3). Facts related to the management of hypertension (1 versus 3). (Patients' perceptions of the treatment rationales or facts the staff shared with them, and of the resources available, respectively.)		Facts index (1 versus 2).
Swain 1981	115	As above	Yes	Educational	As above	Change in knowledge score (1 versus 2). Subjects discontinuing treatment. Diastolic blood pressure controlled.