Table 3

Number of studies and comparisons with equal effectiveness across socioeconomic groups or higher effectiveness among workers in lower socioeconomic position by programme characteristics

Equally effectiveMore effective for lower SEP
Programme component
 Direct coaching (n=7, k=15)(n=6, k=13)20 25 28–30 32(n=2, k=2)30 31
 Education (n=10, k=64)(n=9, k=56)21–24 26–28 30 32(n=5, k=8)21 24 27 30 31
 Environmental (n=5, k=25)(n=4, k=20)21 26 27 30(n=4, k=5)21 27 30 31
 Financial incentive (n=1, k=1)(n=1, k=1)29
Population of workers
 Selective (n=3, k=21)(n=3, k=18)24 29 32(n=1, k=3)24
 Universal (n=10, k=54)(n=9, k=49)20–23 25–28 30(n=4, k=5)21 27 30 31
Involvement of workers in low socioeconomic position
 Yes (n=5, k=19)(n=5, k=15)20 21 27 28 30(n=3, k=4)21 27 30
 No (n=8, k=56)(n=7, k=52)22–26 29 32(n=2, k=4)24 31
Designed for workers in low socioeconomic position
 Yes (n=4, k=17)(n=4, k=13)21 27 28 30(n=3, k=4)21 27 30
 No (n=9, k=58)(n=8, k=54)20 22–26 29 32(n=2, k=4)24 31
  • None of the included studies reported or showed lower programme effectiveness for workers in low socioeconomic position.

  • The sum of studies is higher than 13 because some studies test multiple comparisons of differential effectiveness with different results.

  • The number of studies and comparisons in this table reflect both qualitative and quantitative information on differential effectiveness.

  • k, number of comparisons; n, number of studies; SEP, socioeconomic position.