Table 6

Quality assessment of 34 reviewed cost-effectiveness studies

 Author (1) Was a well-defined question posed in answerable form? (2) Did the study examine both costs and effects of the service or programme? (3) Did the study involve a comparison of alternatives? (4) Was a viewpoint for the analysis stated? (5) Was a do-nothing alternative considered? (6) Were the capital costs, as well as operating costs, included? (7) Were the cost and consequences valued credibly? (8) Were currencies updated and converted clearly and appropriately? (9) Were costs and consequences that occur in the future discounted to their present value? (10) Was there any justification given for the discount rate used? (11) Were the incremental costs generated by one alternative over another compared with the additional effects generated? (12) Was a sensitivity analysis performed? (13) Did the study discuss the generalisability of the results to other setting and patient/client groups? Total score (out of 13 equally weighted) Type of study design Alefan No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes 7 Longitudinal Amira No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No 3 Cross-sectional Anchala et al47 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 10 RCT Anderson, AN No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No 7 Cross-sectional Augustovski et al28 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 11 RCT Bai et al21 No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No No No Yes 5 Longitudinal Basu et al33 No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 9 Modelled Cazarim24 No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No 7 Longitudinal Chen et al46 No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 9 Modelled Das No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No 2 Longitudinal Edwards No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No No 4 Longitudinal Ekwunife et al42 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 10 Modelled Gad et al38 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Gaziano et al34 No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10 Modelled Gu et al31 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 10 Modelled Ha36 No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled He Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 10 RCT Ilesanmi No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No No 4 Cross-sectional Jafar et al22 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 12 RCT Jiang No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No 3 Cross-sectional Khonputsa et al39 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 9 Modelled Krishnan et al43 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 10 Modelled Lung et al40 No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 8 Modelled Makkink No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No 3 Retrospective cohort study Murray et al13 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Ngalesoni et al45 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No 10 Modelled Nguyen et al37 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 9 Modelled Ortegon No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Pandey No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No 5 Modelled Pannarunothaai No Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No 3 Retrospective cohort study Patel No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No 2 RCT Perman Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 13 Modelled Praveen et al49 No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes 7 RCT Robberstad et al35 No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 10 Modelled Rosendaal et al44 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Rubinstein et al29 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Tolla et al41 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 11 Modelled Tsuji No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No Yes No Yes 5 Longitudinal Verguet No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes No 6 Modelled Wang, Xin et al48 No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No 7 RCT Wang, Zengwu No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes 5 Longitudinal Xie et al32 No Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes 7 Modelled
• RCT, randomised controlled trial.