Table 3 Methodological quality assessment of economic evaluations using Drummond’s 10-item checklist

1. Was a well-defined question posed in answerable form?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

2. Was a comprehensive description of the competing alternatives given (i.e. can you tell who did what to whom, where, and how often)?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

3. Was the effectiveness of the programme or services established?

Can’t Tell

Can’t Tell

Yes

No

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

No

Yes

4. Were all the important and relevant costs and consequences for each alternative identified?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

5. Were costs and consequences measured accurately in appropriate physical units’

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

6. Were costs and consequences valued credibly?

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

7. Were costs and consequences adjusted for differential timing?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

8. Was an incremental analysis of costs and consequences of alternatives performed?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

9. Was allowance made for uncertainty in the estimates of costs and consequences?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

10. Did the presentation and discussion of study results include all issues of concern to users?

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Can’t Tell

Yes

Yes

Score (Total)

9

9

5

9

9

10

8

10

4

8

9