Ratings* of the six selected occupational health guidelines for low back pain on AGREE items
| Canada4 (Quebec) | Australia5 (Victoria) | USA6 | New Zealand7–9 | Netherlands10 | UK11–14 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Rating “1” means quality item was met; rating “0” means quality item was not met or unclear. | ||||||
| 1. The overall objective(s) of the guideline is (are) specifically described. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2. The clinical question(s) covered by the guideline is (are) specifically described. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3. The patients to whom the guideline is meant to apply are specifically described. | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4. The guideline development group includes individuals from all the relevant professional groups. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5. The patients’ views and preferences have been sought. | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6. The target users of the guideline are clearly defined. | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7. The guideline has been piloted among target users. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8. Systematic methods were used to search for evidence. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9. The criteria for selecting the evidence are clearly described. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10. The methods used for formulating the recommendations are clearly described. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11. The health benefits, side effects and risks have been considered in formulating the recommendations. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12. There is an explicit link between the recommendations and the supporting evidence. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13. The guideline has been externally reviewed by experts prior to its publication. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14. A procedure for updating the guideline is provided. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 15. The recommendations are specific and unambiguous. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16. The different options for management of the condition are clearly presented. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 17. Key recommendations are easily identifiable. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18. The guideline is supported with tools for application. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19. The potential organisational barriers in applying the recommendations have been discussed. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20. The potential cost implications of applying the recommendations have been considered. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21. The guideline presents key review criteria for monitoring and/or audit purposes. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 22. The guideline is editorially independent from the funding body. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23. Conflicts of interest of guideline development members have been recorded. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |