Chapter 3 66 To allow meta-analyses, standard errors (SE) are needed. If SE are not presented they will be calculated using the following formula;32 Two reviewers will independently assess whether measures of public support and smoke-free policies under investigation are sufficiently comparable across the selected studies to allow meta-analysis. If needed, they will convert the units of measurement in a way that is consistent across studies. In case of disagreement, a third reviewer will decide which measures to use. Prior to undertaking meta-analyses, we will subdivide policies by spaces that they cover according to the following division: (1) indoor private spaces (e.g. cars), (2) indoor semi-private spaces (e.g. multi-unit housing), (3) outdoor (semi-) private spaces (e.g. courtyard, psychiatric hospital), (4) non-hospitality outdoor public spaces (e.g. parks, streets, beaches, hospital grounds, playgrounds), and (5) hospitality outdoor public spaces (e.g. restaurant terraces). Separate meta-analyses will be conducted to assess public support for smoke-free policies according to these categories. If multiple estimates of public support are presented that cover similar spaces according to our categorisation, we will calculate the average public support across these spaces for use in meta-analyses. Thus, if studies present separate estimates of public support for playgrounds, parks and beaches (all belonging to the category ‘non-hospitality outdoor public spaces’), the average of the three will be used. In case of overlapping study samples, we will include the study or effect estimation that: (1) uses national surveys and therefore is likely to be representative of the general population, (2) has the lowest risk of bias, or (3) incorporates the largest sample size, following this hierarchy. We aim to summarise the most up-to-date status of public support for novel smoke-free policies; thus, we will include the most recent estimation if studies presented multiple estimates over time. In secondary analyses we will evaluate whether public support changed following the actual introduction of the smoke-free policy under study, if the data allows.
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