Figure 1
The flowchart details the selection process of studies for a meta-analysis. It is divided into two main sections: Identification of studies via databases and registers, and Identification of studies via other methods. In the first section, records are identified from Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO databases. Duplicate records are removed before screening. The remaining records are screened based on title and abstract, and reports are sought for retrieval. Reports are then assessed for eligibility, and those excluded are listed with reasons. In the second section, records are identified from reference list searches. These reports are also sought for retrieval and assessed for eligibility, with reasons for exclusion provided. The final studies included in the meta-analysis are noted.PRISMA flow chart for the selection process of the studies