The most frequent study designs included a pre-post design (61 studies), followed by 56 studies that applied a prospective design, 27 population based case series, 23 consecutive case series, 13 randomized trials, 15 non-blinded trials, 16 nonconsecutive case series, 5 double-blinded trials, and 6 best-case series.
The most frequent study design underlying the economic analyses was retrospective database analysis (five of eight economic studies).
The most frequent study design was pre-post, followed by prospective, population based case series or consecutive case series, and randomized trials.
The most frequent type of study design was the retrospective study (74.6%).
A review of trends in the quantitative analysis of social science data on aging during the past half century shows that cross-sectional analysis remains the single most frequent type of study design [ 45], particularly in studies examining the effect of HCBS [ 17, 31, 32, 46- 48].
This finding was more frequent among randomized controlled trials than in other study designs, which were included in this systematic review.
The investigators findings of Monday being a frequent day for log-on was unexpected, but may offer an opportunity for future study designs to include weekend email broadcasting rather than a Thursday broadcast.
Several aspects of the methods and study designs were identified as differing among the studies, including the sampling of frequent attenders, sampling period, source of data, and both the definition and count of chronic conditions.
Many suggestions were actionable including study designs which are feasible and which avoid the initial diagnostic period, promotion of CCL teams through role modeling, frequent CRA education and lobbying to improve institutional credit for each CCL enrollment.
Study design all study designs.
The most frequent reasons for exclusion were study design, study population (i.e. high risk) or non-related to CT-colonography or screening for polyps and CRC (i.e. IBD, MR-colonography).
