Table 2 Description of the included 227 randomized controlled trials: characteristics, aims, and outcomes

Setting^a

n (%)

Aim^a

n (%)

Outcome categories^a

n (%)

 Primary care — outpatient

149 (66%)

Abandon

0 (0%)

Health outcomes

58 (26%)

 Primary care — inpatient

3 (1%)

Reduce

225 (99%)

Low-value care use

63 (28%)

 Secondary/tertiary care — outpatient

28 (12%)

Replace

42 (19%)

Appropriate care use

34 (15%)

 Secondary/tertiary care — inpatient

40 (18%)

Unclear

2 (1%)

Total volume of care

194 (85%)

 Other

22 (10%)

Rationale^a

Intention to reduce the use of low-value care

Randomization unit

Evidence suggests little or no benefit from treatment or diagnostic test

115 (51%)

17 (7%)

 Cluster

145 (64%)

Measured costs^a

 Individual

82 (36%)

Evidence suggests another treatment is more effective or less harmful

13 (6%)

Intervention costs

20 (9%)

Medical intervention^a

Healthcare costs

45 (20%)

 Prevention

9 (4%)

Evidence suggests more harms than benefits for the patient or community

145 (64%)

Reported effectiveness

 Diagnostic imaging

29 (13%)

(Some) desired effect

186 (82%)

 Laboratory tests

28 (12%)

Cost-effectiveness

70 (31%)

No desired effect

41 (18%)

 Drug treatment

163 (72%)

Patient(s) do not want the intervention

2 (1%)

Theoretical basis and tailoring^a

 Operative treatments

7 (3%)

Theory-based interventions

48 (21%)

 Rehabilitation

2 (1%)

Not reported/unclear

20 (9%)

Tailored interventions

40 (18%)

 Other

7 (3%)

Intervention complexity^b

Target group^a

Multicomponent

152 (67%)

 Public

5 (2%)

Simple

84 (37%)

 Patients

42 (19%)

 Caregivers

17 (7%)

 Physicians

193 (85%)

 Nurses

37 (16%)

 Other

23 (10%)