Table 2 Summary of quality of identified quantitative studies

Borkhoff [55, 56]

Primary care and surgeons

Knee

Referral

3

No(standardised cases)

Boutron [60]

Primary care doctors

Knee and hip

Referral

4

Yes

Quintana [57–59]

Specialists

Knee and hip

Recommendation

3

Yes

Birk [54]

Waiting list patients

Knee and hip

Decision to change surgeon

2

No

Birrell [22]

Primary care patients

Hip

Waiting list placement

2

Yes

Card [47]

Older adults

Hip and knee

Arthroplasty

2

Yes

Conner-Spady [27, 53]

Waiting list patients

Knee and hip

Hypothetical change of surgeon

3

No

Cross [79]

Operated patients

Knee and hip

Willingness to pay

3

No

Dunlop [29]

Older adults

Knee and hip

Arthroplasty

2

Yes

George [20]

OA Medicare patients

Hip

Arthroplasty

3

No

Hanchate [21]

Older adults

Knee

Arthroplasty

3

Yes

Hawker [26]

OA patients

Knee and hip

Arthroplasty

4

Yes

Hawker [30–33]

OA patients

Knee and hip

Willingness to operate

3

Yes

Ibrahim [39–42]

Primary care males VA patients

Knee and hip

Willingness to operate

1

No

Johnson [61]

Primary care patients

Hip

Waiting list placement

1

Yes

Judge [28]

Older adults

Knee and hip

Arthroplasty

2

Yes

Juni [36, 37]

Primary care patients

Knee and hip

Waiting list placement/Willingness to operate

1

Yes

Lievense [19]

Primary care patients

Hip

Arthroplasty

2

Yes

Linsell [52]

Retirement age adults

Hip and knee

Willingness to operate

2

Yes

Momohara [23]

RA patients

Knee

Arthroplasty

2

Yes

Riddle [78]

OA patients

Knee

Arthroplasty

2

No

Schonberg [46]

Retirement age OA patients

Knee and hip

Referral

2

No

Steel [38]

OA/RA patients

Knee and hip

Arthroplasty

3

Yes

Suarez-Almazor [44, 45]

OA patients

Knee

Willingness to operate

3

Yes

Yong [48]

Non-obese retirement age adults

Knee

Arthroplasty

2

No

Zeni [18]

OA patients

Knee

Arthroplasty

2

Yes