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. 2021 Oct 25;11(10):e056938. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056938

Table 1.

Funding sources and characteristics of included studies (n=225)

Articles %
Funding
 Government 120 53.3
 Institutional 51 22.7
 Non-governmental 36 16.0
 Industry/corporation 15 6.7
 International 9 4.0
 None 8 3.6
 Not listed 50 22.2
Number of authors
 1–3 59 26.2
 4–6 81 36.0
 7–9 44 19.6
 10–15 29 12.9
 16–21 10 4.4
 >21 2 0.9
Ten most common countries (study setting)
 USA 85 37.8
 The Netherlands 20 8.9
 China 13 5.8
 Australia 12 5.3
 Korea 12 5.3
 Canada 11 4.9
 UK 9 4.0
 Finland 5 2.2
 Taiwan 5 2.2
 Germany 4 1.8
Ten most common disciplines involved (based on FoR, ANZSRC)*
 Medical and Health Sciences 160 71.1
 Information, Computing and Communication Sciences 66 29.3
 Engineering and Technology 33 14.7
 Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences 14 6.2
 Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts—General 10 4.4
 Studies in Human Society 10 4.4
 Mathematical Sciences 7 3.1
 Biological Sciences 6 2.7
 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services 6 2.7
 Science (general) 4 1.8
Institutions
 Academia/university 212 94.2
 Hospital/health facility 63 28.0
 Industry 30 13.3
 Government 18 8.0
 Not-for-profit/charity/community centre 18 8.0
 Defence 2 0.9
Intended outcome of the study†
 Individual digital health promotion tool (app, website, wearable) 80 35.6
 Community/public health programme and system (in-person) 72 32.0
 Algorithm 52 23.1
 Diagnostic test (omics, microbiome) 15 6.7
 Non-diagnostic implanted medical device (for monitoring, prevention, treatment) 8 3.6
 Other (questionnaire, exploratory study (1), or survey instrument (2)) 6 2.7
Study design‡
 Cross-sectional study 55 24.4
 Technology/tool testing 42 18.7
 Qualitative research 37 16.4
 Randomised controlled trial 36 16.0
 Non-randomised experimental study 22 9.8
 Cohort study 14 6.2
 Clinical prediction rule 12 5.3
 Diagnostic test accuracy study 10 4.4
 Case series 5 2.2
 Case–control study 2 0.9
 Text and opinion 2 0.9
 Protocol 17 7.6

The disciplines and institutions involved are based on author affiliation/s.

*FoR (Field of Research) classifies research according to methodology and is one of the three ANZSRC classifications. The ANZSR includes a set of three related classifications for measurement and analysis of research in Australia and New Zealand (https://www.arc.gov.au/grants/grant-application/classification-codes-rfcd-seo-and-anzsic-codes).

†One article can have multiple intended outcomes.

‡One article can include multiple study components with different study designs. We have also identified protocols, and the intended study design of these protocols were also identified.

ANZSRC, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification.