Table 3 Characteristics of included articles and countries covered

A. Characteristics of all included articles

N = 60

%

Specific implementation outcomes^(a)

- Feasibility

1

1.7

- Acceptability

5

8.3

- Compliance

57

95.0

Year of publication

• 1990–2000

4

6.7

• 2001–2010

3

5.0

• 2011–2020

30

50.0

• 2021–2022 (last 2 years)

23

38.3

Study design

• Quantitative study

33

55.0

• Qualitative study

19

31.7

• Mixed method

8

13.3

Study sites

• Multiple countries

7

11.7

• Single country

53

88.3

B. Characteristics of study countries covered in the included articles

N = 28

(%)

WHO regions

• African

8

28.6

• Americas

5

17.9

• Eastern Mediterranean

1

3.6

• European

3

10.7

• South-East Asia

6

21.4

• Western Pacific

5

17.9

Income

• Low-income country

2

7.1

• Middle-income country

20

71.4

• High-income country

6

21.4

Status of legal provisions in national law as rated by WHO [18]

• Weak (included some provisions of the Code)

9

32.1

• Moderate (included many provisions of the Code)

10

35.7

• Strong (included most provisions of the Code)

9

32.1