Table 1 The 7 steps of the Noblit and Hare meta-ethnographic method [33]

Step 1

Getting started

These steps involve defining the search criteria and parameters, conducting the search, including, quality assessment and excluding studies [33].

Step 2

Confirming the initial interest

Step 3

Reading studies

Step 4

Extracting date from included studies

This step involves extracting data from the included studies and ‘determining how studies are related’ and identifying common themes, and concepts [33].

Step 5

Translating Studies

This step involves ‘comparing first and/or second order themes against each other [33]

Step 6

Synthesising translations

This step creates new third order themes from first and second order concepts.

Step 7

Expressing the synthesis

This step the authors expressing the synthesis implications in relation to clinical practice, policy, treatment, program development and/or research [33].