Table 1.
Overview of selected theoretical frameworks that include the concept of dose
| Article | Terms used | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Cheadle et al. [13] | Population dose |
Dose is defined as a product of intervention reach (number of people ‘touched’ by the intervention) × strength (estimated effect of intervention on each person). Dose = reach × strength |
| Collins et al. [14] | Dosage | Defines dose as the amount of intervention to be delivered, tailored to each individual in order to achieve the desired response (i.e. dose is a function of the efforts of intervention providers) |
| Dane & Schneider [3] | Dosage | Dosage is one of eight components of ‘implementation’ and is defined as how much of the programme has been delivered, and includes quantity and intervention strength (i.e. dose is a function of the efforts of intervention providers) |
| Legrand et al. [7] | Dose |
Dose is defined as a product of the following: Delivery quantity (DQt) Delivery quality (DQl) Participation quantity (PQt) Participation quality (PQl) Dose = DQt × (mean DQl, PQt, PQl/mas) (where mas = common maximal assignable score) (i.e. dose is a function of the efforts of intervention providers and participants) |
| Steckler & Linnan [11] | Dose delivered | Dose is identified as one component within a process evaluation framework and is defined as the number/amount of intended units delivered/provided (i.e. dose is a function of the efforts of intervention providers) |
| Dose received | Extent to which participants engage or interact with are receptive or use intervention (i.e. dose is a function of the efforts of intervention participants) | |
| Wasik et al. [12] | Implementation dosage | Activities necessary to for intervention to be carried out with fidelity, including dosage of training received by those who will deliver the intervention (e.g. amount of time instructors spend training intervention providers) |
| Intervention dosage | Amount of intervention, which includes the dosage intended for the programme model, dosage offered by the service provider and dosage received by the intervention recipient | |
| Cumulative dosage | The amount of intervention a participant receives over the life of a programme, where Cumulative dosage = session duration × frequency × intervention duration or length of programme enrolment |