Table 1

Criteria list for the quality assessment of economic evaluations11: each scored as positive, negative or unclear

Items Ref13 Ref14 Refs 15,16 Ref17 Ref18 Ref19 Ref20 Ref21 Ref22 Ref 23
1. Was a well defined question posed in answerable form??+−+−+++++
1.1 Did the study examine both costs and effects?++++−+++++
1.2 Did the study include comparison of alternatives?++++++++++
1.3 Was a viewpoint for the analysis stated?+−−+−+−−+−
2. Was a comprehensive description of the alternatives given?++++++++++
2.1 Were any important alternatives omitted?++++++++++
2.2 Was a do-nothing alternative considered?++++++++++
3. Was the effectiveness of the programmes established?++?++++?++
3.1 Was this done through a randomised, controlled clinical trial?+−−+?+++++
3.2 Was effectiveness established through an overview of clinical studies?−+−−+−−−−−
3.3 Were observational data or assumptions used to establish effectiveness?++++++++++
4. Were all the important and relevant costs and consequences identified?++−+?+++++
4.1 Was the range wide enough for the research question at hand?++++++++++
4.2 Did it cover all relevant viewpoints??−−−?−+−?−
4.3 Were capital costs, as well as operating costs, included?−−?+−−+++?
5. Were costs and consequences measured accurately in appropriate physical units?++++++++++
5.1 Were any of the identified items omitted from measurement?+−++−?−+++
5.2 Were there any special circumstances that made measurement difficult?+−++−−−−−−
6. Were costs and consequences valued credibly?++?++++++?
6.1 Were the sources of all values clearly identified?+−+++++++−
6.2 Were market values employed for changes in resources gained or depleted?−−−−−−++?−
6.3 Were adjustments made to approximate market values??−?−−−?+−+
6.4 Was the valuation of consequences appropriate for the question posed?−+++−−++++
7. Were costs and consequences adjusted for differential timing?−?−−−−−−−−
7.1 Were costs and consequences discounted?−−−−−−−−−−
7.2 Was any justification given for the discount rate used?−−−−−−−−−−
8. Was an incremental analysis performed?−++++−−−+−
8.1 Were the additional costs compared with the additional effects?−++++−−−+−
9. Was allowance made for uncertainty in the estimates?++++++++++
9.1 Were appropriate statistical analyses performed?++++++++++
9.2 Was justification provided for the ranges of values?+++++++−−+
9.3 Were study results sensitive to changes in the values??+++−+++−+
10. Did the study results include all issues of concern to users?++?+−−?−+−
10.1 Were the conclusions of the analysis based on some overall index or ratio?++++−−+−+−
10.2 Were the results compared with those of others?−+++−−+−++
10.3 Did the study discuss the generalisability of the results?+++++++++−
10.4 Did the study take account of other important factors?++−−−?−−−−
10.5 Did the study discuss issues of implementation?−−−+−−−−−−
% Positive61665579455366586853