Table 2.
Critical Appraisal of Nonexperimental Studies.
| Study | Design | Groups Similar With Clear Inclusion Criteria? | Measure of Exposure Valid and Reliable? | Confounding Variables Identified and Dealt With? | Free of Exposure at Start of Study? | Outcomes Measures Valid and Reliable? | Follow-Up Time Sufficient and Complete, Attrition Dealt With? | Appropriate Statistical Analysis? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourgeois et al. (2015) | Cross sectional | Y | N | Y | N | N | N/A | Y |
| Brown et al. (2015) | Cohort | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Gunther et al. (2012) | Cohort | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Morandi et al. (2012) | Cohort | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Polito et al. (2013) | Cohort | N/Aa | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Rolandi et al. (2018) | Cohort | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Suchyta, Jephson, and Hopkins (2010) | Cohort | N/Aa | N | Y | Y | N | N/Ab | Y |
| Sutter et al. (2015) | Cohort | N/Aa | Y | Y | Y | Y | N/Ab | Y |
| Yager et al. (2011) | Cohort | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
Note. Y = met; N = not met; N/A = not applicable.
aUsed a one-group cohort design. bUsed a retrospective cohort design.