Table 2 Quality appraisal of included studies

1. Is the study relevant to the needs of the Project?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

2. Does the paper address a clearly focused issue?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

3. Is the choice of study method appropriate?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

4. Is the population studied appropriate?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

5. Is confounding and bias considered?

can’t tell

can’t tell

yes

yes

can’t tell

yes

yes

yes

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

6. Was follow up for long enough?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

can’t tell

yes

yes

7. Are tables/graphs adequately labelled and understandable?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

8. Are you confident with the authors' choice and use of statistical methods, if employed?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

9. What are the results of this piece of research? Are the authors' conclusions adequately supported by the information cited?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

10. Can the results be applied to the local situation?

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

can’t tell

Can’t tell

can’t tell

11. Were all important outcomes/results considered?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

no

yes

no

no

yes

yes

yes

12. Is any cost information provided?

no

yes

no

no

no

yes

yes

yes

yes

no

yes

yes

13. Accept for further use as Type IV evidence?

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes