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Table 1 Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) risk of bias criteria
| Risk of bias criterion | Judgement | Reason for judgement |
|---|---|---|
| Allocation sequence generation | High risk | Non-randomised method used |
| Allocation concealment | High risk | Controlled before and after study |
| Similarity in baseline outcome measurements | High risk | Although all sites had low recruitment prior to the intervention, this was imbalanced across the sites |
| Similarity in baseline characteristics | Low risk | Similar recruitment processes across sites |
| Incomplete outcome data addressed | Low risk | No missing data |
| Knowledge of the allocated intervention | Low risk | Objective outcomes, not affected by knowledge of the intervention |
| Protection against contamination | Low risk | Allocation was by study site |
| Free from selective reporting | Low risk | All pre-specified outcomes are reported |
| Free from other risks of bias | Unclear risk | Possible risk from confounders |
