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Table 1 Summary characteristics of studies included in review

From: The impact of physician–nurse task shifting in primary care on the course of disease: a systematic review

Study

Setting

Population

Nurse group

Physician group

Intervention

First author, publication (y)

Location

Design, perioda

Facilities, n

Diagnosis

Nurses (n)

Patients (N)

Mean age (SD), y

Male, %

Phys., (n)

Patients (N)

Mean age (SD), y

Male, %

By

FCA

GDL

1st C

UV

OC

C, n

FUP, months

Fairall et al., 2012 [25]

ZA 2

cRCT2, 2008–2010

Nurse ART clinic, 31

HIV/AIDS

103

3029

38.0 (8.9)

30

nr

3202

38.0 (9.6)

27

LN

n

y

n

n

y

>1

12–18

Fairall et al., 2012 [25]

ZA 1

cRCT1, 2008–2010

Nurse ART clinic, 31

HIV/AIDS

103

5390

36.0 (9.6)

33

nr

3862

35.0 (9.6)

31

LN

n

y

n

n

y

>1

12–18

Houweling et al., 2011 [27]

NL 3

RCT, period nr

Practice, 1

DM2

2

116

67.1 (11.0)

53

5

114

69.5 (10.6)

42

NP

y

y

n

n

y

>1

14

Andryukhin et al., 2011 [18]

RU 1

RCT, 2006–2009

Medical centre practice, 1

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

10

50

66.5 (3.2)

27

8

50

68.0 (4.3)

34

NP/LN

n

y

n

n

y

>1

6

Dierick-van Daele et al., 2009 [24]

NL 2

RCT, 2006

Practice, 15, Reference, 5

Common complaints

12

817

42.8 (16.5)

38

50

684

46.1 (16.6)

40

NP+

n

y

y

n

n

1

0.5

Chan et al., 2009 [22]

UK 6

RCT, 2002–2004

Nurse clinic, 1

GORD, moderate gastritis, dyspepsia after direct access gastroscopy

nr

89

50.2 (13.9)

49

nr

86

48.4 (12.8)

49

NP+

n

y

n

n

y

>1

6

Hesselink et al., 2004 [26]

NL 1

RCT, 1998–2002

Practice, 12

Asthma and COPD

2

139

49.9 (14.2)

35

14

137

44.7 (13.6)

28

LN

n

y

n

n

y

>1

0.5, 12, 24

Denver et al., 2003 [23]

UK 5

RCT, 2000–2001

Nurse hospital-based hypertension clinic, n = nr

DM2,hypertension, under blood pressure lowering treatment

nr

60

58.1 (13.8)

57

nr

60

62.4 (9.1)

70

NP+

n

y

n

n

y

>1

6

Kernick et al., 2000 [28]

UK 4

RCT, period nr

Health centre, 1

Psoriasis and eczema

1

55

47.4 (18.4)

39

nr

54

51.7 (15.8)

48

NP+

n

y

n

n

y

>1

4

Kinnersley et al., 2000 [34]

UK 3

RCT, period nr

Practice, 10

Diverse conditions

12

1465b

range: 0–>75

39

10

1465b

range: 0–>75

42

NP

n

nr

y

y

n

1

0.5

Shum et al., 2000 [32]

UK 2

RCT, 1998–1999

Practice, 5

Acute minor illnesses

5

900

IQR:26.0 (9.0–41.7)

40

19

915

IQR:29.1 (9.7–44.9)

40

NP

n

nr

y

y

n

≥1

0.5

Campbell et al., 1998 [1921, 2931, 33]

UK 1

RCT, 1995–1996

Practice, 19

CHD secondary prevention

28

673

65.9 (7.9)

58

nr

670

66.3 (8.3)

58

NP

n

y

n

n

y

>1

12, 48

  1. Studies are listed by year (y) of publication, in decreasing order
  2. Phys. (n): number of physicians; Nurses (n): number of nurses; Patients (N): number of patients enrolled (Fairall et al. 2012 [25]) or randomized; SD: standard deviation; UK: United Kingdom; NL: The Netherlands; ZA: South Africa; RU: Russia; RCT: randomized controlled trial; cRCT: cluster randomized controlled trial; Facilities n: number of facilities; DM (2): diabetes mellitus (type 2); GORD: gastro-esophageal reflux disease; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CHD: coronary heart disease; IQR: interquartile ranges; NP: nurse practitioner; NP+: nurse practitioner with additional degrees/courses; LN: licensed nurse; FCA: full clinical autonomy; GDL: guideline/(semi-structured)protocol-based interventions; 1stC.: 1st contact; UV: urgent visits; OC: ongoing care; C (n): number of consultations; FUP: length of follow-up; y: yes; n: no; nr: not reported
  3. aStart and end year when studies were conducted
  4. bNumber of randomized patients per group not reported