Table 1 Definitions of major and minor flaws for this SR
From: The association between social support and physical activity in older adults: a systematic review
| Â | Experimental studies (clinical trial or community trial) | Longitudinal Observation (cohort study or observational study) | Cross-sectional |
|---|---|---|---|
Study population: Major | • No Control • Sample size inadequate for power (n < 20 per group) • Non-random allocation or randomisation not described | • Not representative of the population of interest. In relation to age, gender AND • Confounders not accounted for • No description of sample | • Not representative of the population of interest. In relation to age, gender AND • Confounders not accounted for. • No description of sample |
Minor | • Confounders not completely accounted for • Omission of detail about confounders. | • Not representative of the population of interest. In relation to age, gender • Omission of detail about confounders • Non-random sampling • Sample size inadequate for power (n < 10 per variable) or not described (if study n < 500) | • Not representative of the population of interest. In relation to age, gender • Confounders not accounted for • Non-random sampling • Sample size inadequate for power (n < 10 per variable) or not described (if study n < 500) |
Intervention/ exposure: Major | • No description of the PA or SS component of the intervention • No measurement of intervention strength or exposure • Intervention <12 weeks | • No measurement of exposure • Poor or no face validity of measurement of exposure | • No measurement of exposure • Poor or no face validity of measurement of exposure |
Minor | • No blinding | • No validity of measurement PA or SS exposure mentioned | • No validity of measurement PA or SS exposure mentioned |
Outcome: Major | • Poor face validity of measurement of outcome | • Poor or no face validity of measurement of exposure | • Poor or no face validity of measurement of PA or SS outcome |
Minor | • No validity of PA or SS outcome measure mentioned | • No validity of PA or SS outcome measure mentioned | • No validity of PA or SS outcome measure mentioned |
Follow-up: Major | • High drop-out (>20%) (from pre to post- test measurement) | • High drop-out (>20%) (from pre to post-test measurement) | • NA |
Minor | • High drop out in long term follow up (post intervention) • No long term follow up | • High drop out in long term follow up (post intervention) • No long term follow up | • NA |