Table 1 Study-level descriptive statistics (n = 60)

Year published

 2016

1 (1.8)

 2017

2 (3.5)

 2018

3 (5.3)

 2019

2 (3.5)

 2020

11 (19.3)

 2021

16 (28.1)

 2022

20 (35.1)

 2023

2 (3.5)

WHO region^a

 African

36 (60.0)

 Western Pacific

7 (11.7)

 South-East Asian

7 (11.7)

 Americas

9 (15.0)

 Eastern Mediterranean

2 (3.3)

 European

2 (3.3)

Study setting^a

 Healthcare

52 (86.7)

 Community

11 (18.3)

 Policy

4 (6.7)

Target health condition

 Cancer

1 (1.7)

 Chronic non-communicable disease

7 (11.7)

 General

9 (15.0)

 Infectious disease

19 (31.7)

 Maternal and child health

10 (16.7)

 Mental health and substance use

10 (16.7)

 None

2 (3.3)

 Sexual and reproductive health

2 (3.3)

Study type

 Protocol

17 (28.3)

 Empirical

43 (71.7)

Study population^a

 Patients

31 (51.7)

 Providers

43 (71.7)

 Policymakers

14 (23.3)

 Community members

8 (13.3)

 Researchers

6 (10.0)

Process evaluation or formative study design^a

 Formative implementation strategy design

17 (28.3)

 Formative strategy design and prospective process evaluation

2 (3.3)

 Prospective process evaluation

20 (33.3)

 Retrospective strategy specification

9 (15.0)

 Retrospective process evaluation

3 (5.0)

 None

9 (15.0)

Impact evaluation study design

 Cluster RCT

9 (15.0)

 Individual RCT

2 (3.3)

 QE without control

13 (21.7)

 QE with control

6 (10.0)

 Prospective cohort

5 (8.3)

 Retrospective cohort

1 (1.7)

 None

24 (40.0)

IndePENDENT VARIABLE

 No Comparison

33 (0.55)

 Intervention

13 (21.7)

 Implementation strategy

14 (23.3)

 Context

0

Implementation research theory or framework used^a

 Determinants

36 (60.0)

 Process

7 (11.7)

 Evaluation

24 (40.0)

Implementation outcomes measured^a

 Acceptability

27 (45.0)

 Adoption

29 (48.3)

 Appropriateness

16 (26.7)

 Cost

16 (26.7)

 Feasibility

16 (26.7)

 Fidelity

26 (43.3)

 Penetration

19 (31.7)

 Sustainability

17 (28.3)

 Health outcomes measured

25 (41.7)