Table 2.
Quality appraisal of quantitative studies (EPHPP) .
| Study | Selection Bias | Study Design | Confounders | Blinding | Data Collection Methods | Withdrawals and Drop-Outs | Global Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [78] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| [55] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| [63] | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| [71] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| [73] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| [80] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| [46] | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| [56] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| [52] | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| [67] | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| [74] | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| [65] | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Notes: 1 = strong, 2 = moderate, 3 = weak. Studies are named according to their reference number within this systematic review.