Table 4 Consensus-based checklist of critical appraisal of COI study*

Study characteristics

Research question or objective: Is a well-defined question or objective stated?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Population: Is the study population described?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Perspective: (a) Is the chosen perspective stated?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Perspective: (b) If so, is the chosen perspective justified?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Methodology and cost analysis

Epidemiological approach: Is the epidemiological approach reported?

P

UC

UC

N

P

UC

Y

Y

Y

NC

Y

Y

Costing approach: Is the costing approach reported?

Y

UC

UC

UC

N

N

Y

Y

Y

NC

Y

Y

Data collection: Is the data collection approach reported?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Identification of resources: (a) Are all components of resource use identified that are relevant to the condition/disease, population, intervention, study objectives and study perspective?

P

UC

P

P

P

UC

P

P

P

P

P

P

Identification of resources: (b) If not, is a justification provided for excluding relevant components of resource use?

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Measurement of resources: (a) Are all identified and included components of resource use measured?

Y

Y

Y

Y

UC

UC

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Measurement of resources: (b) If not, is a justification provided for not measuring certain components of resource use?

NA

NA

NA

NA

N

N

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Valuation of resources: (a) Are all included components of usage valued in monetary terms?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

P

N

Valuation of resources: (b) If not, is a justification provided for not valuing certain components of resource use?

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Time horizon: (a) Is the chosen time horizon specified?

N

P

N

P

Y

N

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

Time horizon: (b) If so, is the chosen time horizon justified?

NA

P

NA

P

P

NA

N

N

NA

NA

NC

NA

Discounting: (a) Are future costs discounted?

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

Discounting: (b) If so, is justification provided for the discount rate?

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Y

Y

NA

NA

Y

NA

Sensitivity: (a) Are all variables whose values are uncertain subjected to sensitivity analysis?

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

Sensitivity: (b) If so, is a justification provided for which variables are subjected to sensitivity analysis?

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

Y

NA

NA

Y

NA

Sensitivity: (c) Are analyses done on relevant subgroups?

N

P

N

P

N

N

N

N

P

N

P

N

Results reporting

Cost sector: Are the results presented transparently by cost category/sector?

Y

N

N

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Generalizability: Do the authors discuss the generalisability of study results (e.g. comparing the results to other patient/client groups/ or in other settings)?

Y

P

P

N

N

N

Y

N

P

N

P

N

Limitations: Do the authors discuss important limitations?

P

Y

P

Y

P

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

P

Y

Ethical and distribution issues: Do the authors discuss ethical issues?

P

Y

P

Y

P

Y

Y

Y

P

Y

P

P

Ethical and distribution issues: Do the authors discuss distributional issues?

N

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

P

N

P

P

Conflict of interest: Do the authors report any potential conflict of interest?

N

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y