Checklist for the assessment of methodological quality of cross-sectional studies, case–control studies and prospective cohort studies
| Study type | |
|---|---|
| Study objective | |
| 1. Positive, if the study had a clearly defined objective | CS/CC/PC |
| Study population | |
| 2. Positive, if the main features of the study population are described (sampling frame and distribution of the population according to age and sex) | CS/CC/PC |
| 3. Positive, if cases and controls are drawn from the same population and a clear definition of cases and controls is given and if participants with the disease/symptom in the past 3 months are excluded from the control group | CC |
| 4. Positive, if the participation rate is at least 80% or if the participation rate is 60–80% and the non-response is not selective (data shown) | CS/CC/PC |
| 5. Positive, if the participation rate at the main moment of follow-up is at least 80% or if the non-response is not selective (data shown) | PC |
| Outcome measurements | |
| 6. Positive, if data on history of the disease/symptom are collected and included in the statistical analysis | CS/CC/PC |
| 7. Positive, if the outcome is measured in an identical manner among cases and controls | CC |
| 8. Positive, if the outcome assessment is blinded with respect to disease status | CS/CC |
| 9. Positive, if the outcome is assessed at a time before the occurrence of the disease/symptom | CC |
| Assessment of the outcome | |
| 10. Positive, if the time period in which the assessment of disease/symptom was based was at least 1 year | PC |
| 11. Method for assessing injury status: physical examination blinded to exposure status (+); self-reported: specific questions relating to symptoms/disease/use of manikin (+), single question (−) | CS/CC/PC |
| 12. Positive, if incident cases were included (prospective enrolment) | CC |
| Analysis and data presentation | |
| 13. Positive, if the measures of association estimated were presented (OR/RR), including CI and numbers in the analysis | CS/PC/CC |
| 14. Positive, if the analysis is controlled for confounding or effect modification: individual factors | CS/PC/CC |
| 15. Positive, if the analysis is controlled for confounding or effect modification: other factors | CS/PC/CC |
| 16. Positive, if the number of cases in the final multivariate model was at least 10 times the number of independent variables in the analysis | CS/PC/CC |
Reproduced from: van der Worp et al,25 with permission from BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
CC, case–control study; CS, cross-sectional study; PC, prospective cohort study.