Table 2.
Risk of bias of the included quasiexperimental studies.
| Included study | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [29] | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| [27] | YES | unclear | unclear | YES | unclear | unclear | YES | YES | YES |
Notes.
1. Was the causal relationship in the study clearly stated?.
2. Whether the baselines were comparable between groups?.
3. Other than the intervention to be validated, were the other interventions received equally in each group?.
4. Did a control group exist?.
5. Were a variety of measures of outcomes performed before and after intervention?.
6. Was follow-up complete, and if not, was loss to follow-up reported and action taken to deal with loss to follow-up?.
7. Would the outcomes of each group be evaluated in the same way?.
8. Was the outcome measure reliable?.
9. Were the data analysis methods appropriate?.