Table 2 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria

 • Studies investigating treatment choices for an established health condition

 • Studies (randomised controlled trial design) comparing DAs to usual care, no intervention, alternative interventions

 • Studies for which the decision aids being investigated were available to the research team for subsequent content examination

 • Studies for which there was availability of associated documentation detailing development process of the decision aid

 • Articles published in English language

Exclusion criteria

 • Studies including hypothetical choices

 • Decisions aids regarding:

  ○ clinical trial entry

  ○ screening/assessment

  ○ advance health care directives (e.g. resuscitation status)

  ○ educational programmes not directed toward decision making

  ○ promoting adherence only

  ○ eliciting informed consent only

 • Decisions made by a surrogate or guardian for a patient

 • Decision aids developed before 2006