Description of the studies’ characteristics
| Study | Design | Age group | Exclusion criteria | Decision aid (DA) |
| Mathieu et al 24 | Randomised controlled study, pragmatic* | 38–45 | Personal history of breast cancer (BC) | Web-based DA, information on possible screening outcomes and worksheet to help weigh up and clarify preferences. Intervention group: immediate access; control group: delayed access after completing the outcome measures. |
| Eden et al 25 | Before-after study, clinical | 40–49 | Personal history of BC, prior breast biopsy, high risk of BC†, previous mammography within 1 year, non-English speaking | Web-based DA in three rural clinical settings, including BC information and questions for risk and self-preferences assessment. |
| Gummersbach et al 20 | Randomised controlled study, primary care based | 48–49 | None | Mailed leaflet, more informative (especially on overdiagnosis) for the intervention group. The leaflet was not created in accordance with published criteria for evidence-based patient information, but it contained much more information relevant to decision making than the leaflet of the control group. |
| Hersch et al 11 | Randomised controlled study, community based | 48–50 | Personal or strong family history of BC, BC risk higher than average, mammography in the past 2 years, non-English speaking | Mailed DA, outcomes assessed by phone interview. Evidence-based explanatory and quantitative information on overdiagnosis, BC mortality reduction, and false positives for the intervention group versus information on BC mortality reduction and false positives for the control group. |
*The trial was advertised on the media. Women had free access to the site for eligibility assessment.
†Breast cancer risk based on the B-RST (Breast Cancer Genetics Referral Screening Tool).