2. Characteristics of the included interventions: message.
| Study (PEM) | Clinical area | Type of targeted behaviour* | Purpose¥ | Level of evidence⇕ | Educational component ∆ |
| Austin 2003 (HERS trial report) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Austin 2004‐A (WHI trial report) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Austin 2004‐B (ALLHAT trial report) | Hypertension | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Austin 2005 | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Avorn 1983 | No specific clinical area | 1; 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Azocar 2003 | Depression | 1; 3; 4; 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Barbaglia 2009 (WHI trial report) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Bearcroft 1994 | Chest radiography | 5; 6; 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Beaulieu 2004 | Stable angina | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Bjornson 1990 | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Black 2002 (EHC‐OM bulletin) | Glue ear surgery | 5; 8 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Buyle 2010 | Antibiotic treatment | 1; 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Coopersmith 2002 | Central venous catheter insertion | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
| Denig 1990 | Antispasmodic drugs for Irritable bowel syndrome and renal colic spasms | 1 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| Dormuth 2004 | No specific clinical area | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Fijn 2000 | Antithrombotic therapy | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Fonarow 2009 (MIRACL trial report) | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Fonarow 2009 (PROVE‐IT TIMI 22 trial report) | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Fonarow 2009 (ACC‐AHA‐STEMI guidelines) | Cardiovascular disease | 1; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 15 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Fonarow 2009 (AHA‐AHA‐NS guidelines) | Cardiovascular disease | 1; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 15 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Fukuda 2009 | Breast‐conserving surgery | 1; 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Guay 2007 (WHI publication) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Haas 2004 (HERS publication) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Haas 2004 (WHI publication) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Hersh 2004 (WHI; HERS; HERSIII publications) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Jackevicius 2001 | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Jameson 2010 | Orthopaedic surgery | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Jousimaa 2002 | Unclear | 16 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Juurlink 2004 | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Kabir 2007 (LIFE publication) | Hypertension | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Kabir 2007 (ALLHAT publication) | Hypertension | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Kabir 2007 (VALUE trial report) | Hypertension | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Kajita 2012 | Osteoporosis prevention | 3; 9; 10 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| Kottke 1989 | Smoking cessation | 9 | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Lam 2009 | Diabetes | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Majumdar 2003 (HOPE trial report) | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Majumdar 2003 (RALES trial report) | Cardiovascular disease | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Majumdar 2004 (WHI trial report) | Oestrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Mason 1998 | Depression | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Mason 2001 (EHC‐OM bulletin) | Glue ear surgery | 5; 8 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Matowe 2002 | X‐rays examination | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Meyer 2007 | Pneumonia | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Oakeshott 1994 | X‐rays examination | 6; 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Perria 2007 | Diabetes | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Roberts 2007 | Protheses | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Santerre 1996 | Caesarean section | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Shah 2008 | Diabetes | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Stafford 2004 (ALLHAT trial report) | Hypertension | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Tsuji 2009 | Depression | 1; 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Wang 2005 (ADA guidelines; ATP III trial report) | Diabetes | 3; 12 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Watson 2001 | Inflammation | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Weiss 2011 | Antibiotic treatment | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
* Type of targeted behaviour: 1 = prescribing/treatment; 2 = financial (resource use); 3 = general management of a problem; 4 = diagnosis; 5 = procedures; 6 = referrals; 7 = test ordering; 8 = surgery; 9 = patient education/advice; 10 = clinical prevention service; 11 = screening; 12 = reporting; 13 = professional‐patient communication; 14 = record keeping; 15 = discharge planning; 16 = unclear.
∡ Purpose: 1 = initiation of management (e.g. introduction of new technology); 2 = stopping introduction of new management; 3 = increase of established management; 4 = cessation of established management; 5 = reduction of established management; 6 = modification of management (e.g. increased management in one activity, reduction in another).
⇕ Level of evidence: 1 = system (computerised decision support services); 2 = summary (evidence‐based textbooks); 3 = systematic review of RCTs; 4 = clinical practice guidelines developed through formal consensus process; 5 = other synthesis; 6 = original RCT; 7 = original study not RCT; 8 = expert opinion; 9 = unclear.
∆ Educational component: 1 = continuing professional development (CPD) credits to recipients of PEMs; 2 = PEM delivered within a formal education programme; 3 = clear statement in in the study that the PEM is intended for education; 4 = no clear educational component.
¶ Tailoring: 1 = tailored to individuals based on diagnostic, behavioural, or motivational characteristics; 2 = tailored to groups of individuals; 3 = personalised, but not tailored (person's name on the information); 4 = generic; 5 = unclear.