No	Item	Guide and description	Section	Page
1	Aim	State the research question the synthesis addresses.	Introduction	2
2	Synthesis methodology	Identify the synthesis methodology or theoretical framework which underpins the synthesis, and describe the rationale for choice of methodology (eg meta‐ethnography, thematic synthesis, critical interpretive synthesis, grounded theory synthesis, realist synthesis, meta‐aggregation, meta‐study, framework synthesis).	Data synthesis	3
3	Approach to searching	Indicate whether the search was pre‐planned (comprehensive search strategies to seek all available studies) or iterative (to seek all available concepts until the theoretical saturation is achieved).	Methods and search strategy	2‐3
4	Inclusion criteria	Specify the inclusion/exclusion criteria (eg, in terms of population, language, year limits, type of publication, study type).	Search strategy	2‐3
5	Data sources	Describe the information sources used (eg, electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EconLit), grey literature databases (digital thesis, policy reports), relevant organizational websites, experts, information specialists, generic web searches (Google Scholar) hand searching, reference lists) and when the searches conducted, provide the rationale for using the data sources.	Search strategy	2‐3
6	Electronic Search strategy	Describe the literature search (eg, provide electronic search strategies with population terms, clinical or health topic terms, experiential or social phenomena related terms, filters for qualitative research and search limits).	Search strategy	2‐3
7	Study screening methods	Describe the process of study screening and sifting (eg title, abstract and full‐text review, number of independent reviewers who screened studies).	Study selection	3
8	Study characteristics	Present the characteristics of the included studies (eg year of publication, country, population, number of participants, data collection, methodology, analysis, research questions).	Characteristics of included studies and Appendix D	4
9	Study selection results	Identify the number of studies screened and provide reasons for study exclusion (eg for comprehensive searching, provide numbers of studies screened and reasons for exclusion indicated in a figure/flow chart; for iterative searching describe reasons for study exclusion and inclusion based on modifications to the research question and/or contribution to theory development).	Study selection and Figure 1 PRISMA flow chart	3‐4
10	Rationale for appraisal	Describe the rationale and approach used to appraise the included studies or selected findings (eg assessment of conduct (validity and robustness), assessment of reporting (transparency), assessment of content and utility of the findings).	Critical appraisal and quality of included studies	3‐5
11	Appraisal items	State the tools, frameworks and criteria used to appraise the studies or selected findings (eg Existing tools: CASP, QARI, COREQ, Mays and Pope 25 ; reviewer developed tools; describe the domains assessed: research team, study design, data analysis and interpretations, reporting).	Critical appraisal	3
12	Appraisal process	Indicate whether the appraisal was conducted independently by more than one reviewer and if consensus was required.	Critical appraisal	3
13	Appraisal results	Present results of the quality assessment and indicate which articles, if any, were weighted/excluded based on the assessment and give the rationale.	Quality of included studies	4‐5
14	Data extraction	Indicate which sections of the primary studies were analysed and how were the data extracted from the primary studies? (eg all text under the headings ‘results/conclusions’ were extracted electronically and entered into a computer software).	Data extraction	3
15	Software	State the computer software used, if any.	Data extraction and study selection	3‐4
16	Number of reviewers	Identify who was involved in coding and analysis.	Data synthesis	3
17	Coding	Describe the process for coding of data (eg line‐by‐line coding to search for concepts).	Data synthesis	3
18	Study comparison	Describe how were comparisons made within and across studies (eg subsequent studies were coded into pre‐existing concepts, and new concepts were created when deemed necessary).	Data synthesis	3
19	Derivation of themes	Explain whether the process of deriving the themes or constructs was inductive or deductive.	Data synthesis	3
20	Quotations	Provide quotations from the primary studies to illustrate themes/constructs, and identify whether the quotations were participant quotations of the author's interpretation.	Synthesis and Table 1	5‐7
21	Synthesis output	Present rich, compelling and useful results that go beyond a summary of the primary studies (eg new interpretation, models of evidence, conceptual models, analytical framework, development of a new theory or construct).	Discussion	8‐9