The specific types of decisions made and the decision appropriateness assessment methods used were categorised for each study by one author (NM), and any doubts were resolved by discussion with all authors.
Of these, three could be given a full code within the coding method, 158 were categorised based on the free text field and the remaining 52 had insufficient detail recorded and were excluded from the analyses.
To calculate rates for subclinical hyperthyroidism standardised by age and gender by the direct method, ages were categorised into four 5-year age bands (65 69, 70 74, 75 79, 80 and over).
In this study, drug prescribing was standardised using the WHO defined daily dose method and patients were categorised into normal and high-dose groups using and extending the approach set out by Gooch et al, 16 including both aspirin and paracetamol.
The methods described in Table 1 were categorised into seven groups (macroergonomic methods, simulation and modelling methods, methods which made use of psychological scaling, experimental studies, design methods, team interaction methods, and cognitive task/work analysis).
Other suicide methods reported as free text were categorised according to ICD-10, for example, suffocation and strangulation were categorised as hanging.
Based on the reported methods for attempts, all SSAs were categorised into one of the following groups: self-poisoning with pesticide (ICD codes: X68); self-poisoning with other substances (X60 67 and X69); hanging (X70); drowning (X71); cutting or stabbing (X78); jumping (X80); and all other methods (X72 77, X79, X81 84, Y87.0).
Studies identified as validation studies were categorised by the methods used to assess validity and accuracy as previously described [ 1].
Studies were categorised by their method of assessment, with 20 studies assessing prescribing competence and 27 assessing prescribing performance.
Gastric cancer patients were categorised by screening method (UGIS, endoscopy, and never screened), screening frequency (number of screenings received between 2002 and 2007: once, twice, three times or more, or never screened), and interval between date of gastric cancer diagnosis and the preceding screening date.
