Table 1

Mixed methods appraisal tool—quality assessment

		DesRosiers	Devi	Hongoro	Mosoiu	Omoyeni	Poroch	Rajagopal	Ratcliff	Uys	Yeager
Screening questions	Are there clear qualitative and quantitative research questions (or objectives), or a clear mixed methods question (or objective)?
Screening questions	Do the collected data address the research question (objective)? For example, consider whether the follow-up period is long enough for the outcome to occur (for longitudinal studies or study components).
Qualitative	1.1. Are the sources of qualitative data (archives, documents, informants, observations) relevant to address the research question (objective)?
	1.2. Is the process for analysing qualitative data relevant to address the research question (objective)?
	1.3. Is appropriate consideration given to how findings relate to the context, for example, the setting, in which the data were collected?
	1.4. Is appropriate consideration given to how findings relate to researchers’ influence, for example, through their interactions with participants?
Quantitative randomised controlled (trials)	2.1. Is there a clear description of the randomisation (or an appropriate sequence generation)?
	2.2. Is there a clear description of the allocation concealment (or blinding when applicable)?
	2.3. Are there complete outcome data (80% or above)?
	2.4. Is there low withdrawal/dropout (below 20%)?
Quantitativenon-randomized	3.1. Are participants (organisations) recruited in a way that minimised selection bias?
	3.2. Are measurements appropriate (clear origin, or validity known or standard instrument and the absence of contamination between groups when appropriate) regarding the exposure/intervention and outcomes?
	3.3. In the groups being compared (exposed vs non-exposed; with intervention vs without; cases vs controls), are the participants comparable or do researchers take into account (control for) the difference between these groups?
	3.4. Are there complete outcome data (80% or above), and, when applicable, an acceptable response rate (60% or above) or an acceptable follow-up rate for cohort studies (depending on theduration of follow-up)?
Quantitative descriptive	4.1. Is the sampling strategy relevant to address the quantitative research question (quantitative aspect of the mixed methods question)?
	4.2. Is the sample representative of the population under study?
	4.3 Are measurements appropriate (clear origin, or validity known or standard instrument)?
	4.4 Is there an acceptable response rate (60% or above)?
Mixed methods	5.1. Is the mixed methods research design relevant to address the qualitative and quantitative research questions (or objectives) or the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the mixed methods question (or objective)?
	5.2. Is the integration of qualitative and quantitative data (or results*) relevant to address the research question (objective)?
	5.3. Is appropriate consideration given to the limitations associated with this integration, for example, the divergence of qualitative and quantitative data (or results) in a triangulation design?

= Yes.
= Unable to determine.
= No.