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Table 5 Summary of critical appraisal of study quality

From: Perceptions of trained laypersons in end-of-life or advance care planning conversations: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Domain Berry & Planalp Brighton et al. Clarke et al. Foster Jones et al. Planalp & Trost Planalp et al. Rocque et al. Seymour et al.
Study purpose: Was purpose or research question stated? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Literature: Was relevant literature reviewed? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Study design: Was a theoretical perspective identified? Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes
Sampling: Was the process of purposeful selection described? No Yes Yes No Yes No No No Yes
Was sampling done until redundancy in data was reached? N.A. Yes N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
Was informed consent obtained? Yes Yes No No Yes N.A. N.A. Yes N.A.
Data Collection: Was procedural rigor used? Yes Yes N.A. No N.A. Yes Yes Yes Yes
Descriptive clarity: Complete description of site No Yes No No Yes No No Yes Yes
Descriptive clarity: Complete description of participant Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Description of role of researcher and relationship with participants No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes
Identification of assumption and biases of researcher No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No
Analytical rigor: Were data analyses inductive? No Yes N.A. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N.A.
Were findings consistent with and reflective of data? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Auditability: Was a decision trail developed? N.A. Yes N.A. Yes No N.A. Yes N.A. No
Was the process of analyzing the data described adequately? Yes Yes No N.A. No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Theoretical connections: Did a meaningful picture emerge? No No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes
Credibility: Do descriptions and interpretations of participants capture the phenomenon? Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Transferability: Can the findings be transferred to other situations? Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Dependability: Was there consistency between data and findings? No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Confirmability: Were strategies employed to minimize bias? No Yes Yes No No No No Yes No
Conclusions: Were conclusions appropriate given study findings? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Implications: Were findings meaningful to “laypersons” and communication? Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Total score: 60% 95% 61% 60% 50% 68% 60% 95% 84%
  1. Quality appraisal results and scoring of included studies using McMaster University tool
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BMC Palliative Care

ISSN: 1472-684X

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