Table 3 Characteristics of included studies

Country

Type of trial

Source

Australia

8

7.5

Cluster RCT

69

65.1

Peer

6

5.1

Canada

15

14.2

Factorial

4

3.8

Investigators

83

70.9

Denmark

4

3.8

Randomised controlled trial

28

26.4

Supervisor or senior colleague

2

1.7

UK

13

12.3

Stepped wedge

4

3.8

Patient

1

0.9

Netherlands

6

5.7

Matched pairs, cluster RCT

1

0.9

Credible source

15

12.8

USA

45

42.5

Low baseline performance?^a

Other

1

0.9

Other/multiple

15

14.2

No

103

97.2

Not reported

9

7.7

Setting

Yes

2

1.9

Internal/external delivery ^b

Primary (GP/GP practice nurses)

57

53.8

Unclear

1

0.9

Internal

17

14.5

Hospital (inpatient and outpatient)

31

29.3

External

81

69.2

Community

4

3.8

Unclear/not reported

19

16.2

Care/nursing home

4

3.8

Reference group

Mixed

7

6.6

Peer

97

82.9

Other

3

2.8

Intervention characteristic (n = 117)

No.

%

Professional body

1

0.9

Type of HCP

Format

Senior person

9

7.7

Doctor (primary care)

45

42.5

Face-to-face meeting

16

13.7

Patient(s)

1

0.9

Doctor (secondary)

19

17.9

Email

10

8.5

Multiple

4

3.4

Other (nurse/dentist/AHP/pharmacist)

7

6.6

Written (paper)

29

24.8

Unclear/not reported

5

4.3

Mixture/whole team

35

33.0

Separate computerised

10

8.5

Direction of change

Target behaviour

Mixed

18

15.4

Increase

85

72.6

Prescribing (incl. vaccinations)

40

37.7

Unclear/not reported

34

29.1

Decrease

30

25.6

Handwashing/hygiene

4

3.8

Frequency

Maintenance

0

0.0

Tests/assessments

21

19.8

Only once

35

29.9

Unclear

2

1.7

Referrals

3

2.8

Twice

10

8.5

Comparator

Management communications

25

23.6

More than twice

45

38.5

Alternative intervention

15

12.8

Other

2

1.9

Unclear/not reported

27

23.1

Usual practice

59

50.4

Multiple

11

10.4

Attention or waitlist control

18

15.4

Concomitant intervention^c

25

21.4