Table 5 Characteristics of qualitative studies (n = 19)

Location

 USA

17

89.5%

[95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105, 107,108,109,110,111, 113]

 Australia

1

5.3%

[112]

 Sri Lanka

1

5.3%

[106]

Sample size (rural only)

 10–30

6

31.6%

[101, 103, 107,108,109,110]

 31–50

5

26.3%

[95, 98, 99, 106, 112]

 51–100

7

36.8%

[96, 97, 100, 102, 104, 111, 113]

 > 100

1

5.3%

[105]

Age

 Young + middle-aged (18–65)

6

31.6%

[98,99,100,101, 104, 112]

 Middle-aged + older (40+)

2

10.5%

[105, 111]

 All age groups

3

15.8%

[106, 109, 110]

 Age range not reported

8

42.1%

[95,96,97, 102, 103, 107, 108, 113]

Gender

 Women only

8

42.1%

[97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104]

 Mixed

11

57.9%

[95, 96, 105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113]

Data collection instrument

 Focus groups

13

68.4%

[95,96,97,98,99,100,101, 103,104,105, 108,109,110]

 Interviews

6

31.6%

[102, 106, 110,111,112,113]

 Photovoice

1

5.3%

[110]

 Nominal Group Technique

1

5.3%

[107]

Analytical approach

 Content analysis

2

10.5%

[97, 111]

 Thematic analysis

2

10.5%

[105, 112]

 Grounded theory approach

2

10.5%

[95, 102]

 Framework approach

1

5.3%

[106]

 Phenomenological techniques

1

5.3%

[104]

 Explanation building

1

5.3%

[103]

 Nominal Group Technique

1

5.3%

[107]

Quality assessment

 High (85%)

2

10.5%

[105, 108]

 Medium (60–84%)

10

52.6%

[95, 98, 101, 103, 104, 107, 109,110,111,112]

 Low (< 60%)

7

36.8%

[96, 97, 99, 100, 102, 106, 113]