PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation

Identifying fine motor difficulties in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Survival rates for children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have increased significantly over recent decades, and thus attention shifted toward understanding the adverse effects of cancer treatment. Chemotherapy has side effects that could affect muscle state and diminish motor performance. This scoping review was conducted to map the breadth of evidence for different tools used in fine motor skills assessment, the extent of upper extremity strength, and fine motor performance, highlighting the potential risk factors that may influence these skills.

METHODS

In March 2023, full-text studies that examined fine motor performance and/or upper extremity strength were identified via searches in PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro databases. The titles and abstracts of selected studies were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The search yielded initial 418 citations and 26 peer-reviewed articles were finally included in the review. Considerable heterogeneity was observed regarding the methods of evaluating fine motor skills. The results of this review indicate that children and adolescents with ALL experienced fine motor limitations and upper extremity weakness either during or after cessation of treatment.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review presents a broad overview of the literature addressing fine motor difficulties in the pediatric population with ALL. Results accentuate the need to incorporate strengthening and occupational therapy training to preserve muscle strength and minimize future fine motor problems along the course of chemotherapeutic treatment. Little evidence was reported regarding the risk factors that may impair muscle strength and motor performance.

Unveiling the impact of community knowledge in malaria programmes: A scoping review protocol

BACKGROUND

Despite significant reductions in recent malaria cases and deaths globally, the persistence of this health concern necessitates a shift from traditional top-down approaches. Consequently, malaria control initiatives increasingly focus on empowering local communities through community-centred strategies. Therefore, this scoping review protocol systematically explores diverse community knowledge approaches adopted in malaria programmes worldwide and their associated outcomes.

METHODS

Adhering rigorously to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, a comprehensive scoping review protocol was developed. Collaborating with a research librarian, a systematic search strategy targeted peer-reviewed literature from databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, complemented by a thorough grey literature search. Titles and abstracts will be screened, followed by extracting bibliographic details and outcome information using a standardized framework. Subsequently, the results will be systematically summarized and presented in a structured tabular format (S1 Checklist).

DISCUSSION

This scoping review promises an in-depth understanding of current research regarding the impact of community knowledge in malaria programmes. The identification of knowledge gaps and intervention needs serves as a valuable resource for malaria-affected countries. The profound implications of community knowledge underscore its pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of prevention, control, and elimination efforts. Insights from this review will assist policymakers, empowering implementers and community leaders in designing effective interventions. This concerted effort aims to adeptly leverage community knowledge, thereby propelling progress toward the achievement of malaria elimination goals.

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Predict Ovarian Stimulation Outcomes in In Vitro Fertilization: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

In the realm of in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial intelligence (AI) models serve as invaluable tools for clinicians, offering predictive insights into ovarian stimulation outcomes. Predicting and understanding a patient's response to ovarian stimulation can help in personalizing doses of drugs, preventing adverse outcomes (eg, hyperstimulation), and improving the likelihood of successful fertilization and pregnancy. Given the pivotal role of accurate predictions in IVF procedures, it becomes important to investigate the landscape of AI models that are being used to predict the outcomes of ovarian stimulation.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to comprehensively examine the literature to explore the characteristics of AI models used for predicting ovarian stimulation outcomes in the context of IVF.

METHODS

A total of 6 electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature published before August 2023, using the concepts of IVF and AI, along with their related terms. Records were independently screened by 2 reviewers against the eligibility criteria. The extracted data were then consolidated and presented through narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Upon reviewing 1348 articles, 30 met the predetermined inclusion criteria. The literature primarily focused on the number of oocytes retrieved as the main predicted outcome. Microscopy images stood out as the primary ground truth reference. The reviewed studies also highlighted that the most frequently adopted stimulation protocol was the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. In terms of using trigger medication, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was the most commonly selected option. Among the machine learning techniques, the favored choice was the support vector machine. As for the validation of AI algorithms, the hold-out cross-validation method was the most prevalent. The area under the curve was highlighted as the primary evaluation metric. The literature exhibited a wide variation in the number of features used for AI algorithm development, ranging from 2 to 28,054 features. Data were mostly sourced from patient demographics, followed by laboratory data, specifically hormonal levels. Notably, the vast majority of studies were restricted to a single infertility clinic and exclusively relied on nonpublic data sets.

CONCLUSIONS

These insights highlight an urgent need to diversify data sources and explore varied AI techniques for improved prediction accuracy and generalizability of AI models for the prediction of ovarian stimulation outcomes. Future research should prioritize multiclinic collaborations and consider leveraging public data sets, aiming for more precise AI-driven predictions that ultimately boost patient care and IVF success rates.

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among refugees and other migrant populations: A systematic scoping review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to map the existing literature to identify predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among refugees, immigrants, and other migrant populations.

METHODS

A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted up to 31 January 2023 to identify the relevant English peer-reviewed observational studies. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts, selected studies, and extracted data.

RESULTS

We identified 34 cross-sectional studies, primarily conducted in high income countries (76%). Lower vaccine acceptance was associated with mistrust in the host countries' government and healthcare system, concerns about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, limited knowledge of COVID-19 infection and vaccines, lower COVID-19 risk perception, and lower integration level in the host country. Female gender, younger age, lower education level, and being single were associated with lower vaccine acceptance in most studies. Additionally, sources of information about COVID-19 and vaccines and previous history of COVID-19 infection, also influence vaccine acceptance. Vaccine acceptability towards COVID-19 booster doses and various vaccine brands were not adequately studied.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaccine hesitancy and a lack of trust in COVID-19 vaccines have become significant public health concerns within migrant populations. These findings may help in providing information for current and future vaccine outreach strategies among migrant populations.

Perioperative hypotension and use of vasoactive agents in non-cardiac surgery: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Perioperative hypotension is common and associated with adverse patient outcomes. Vasoactive agents are often used to manage hypotension, but the ideal drug, dose and duration of treatment has not been established. With this scoping review, we aim to provide an overview of the current body of evidence regarding the vasoactive agents used to treat perioperative hypotension in non-cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We included all studies describing the use of vasoactive agents for the treatment of perioperative hypotension in non-cardiac surgery. We excluded literature reviews, case studies, and studies on animals and healthy subjects. We posed the following research questions: (1) in which surgical populations have vasoactive agents been studied? (2) which agents have been studied? (3) what doses have been assessed? (4) what is the duration of treatment? and (5) which desirable and undesirable outcomes have been assessed?

RESULTS

We included 124 studies representing 10 surgical specialties. Eighteen different agents were evaluated, predominantly phenylephrine, ephedrine, and noradrenaline. The agents were administered through six different routes, and numerous comparisons between agents, dosages and routes were included. Then, 88 distinct outcome measures were assessed, of which 54 were judged to be non-patient-centred.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that studies concerning vasoactive agents for the treatment of perioperative hypotension varied considerably in all aspects. Populations were heterogeneous, interventions and exposures included multiple agents compared against themselves, each other, fluids or placebo, and studies reported primarily non-patient-centred outcomes.

Measuring health related quality of life (HRQoL) in Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs): a rapid scoping review of available tools and domains

BACKGROUND

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic disorders, consisting of over 70 diseases that are characterised by lysosomal dysfunction. Due to their varied and progressive symptoms, LSDs have a continual impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Several recently published studies have provided insight into the HRQoL of individuals with LSDs. However, it is challenging to meaningfully synthesise this evidence, since studies often focus upon a particular type of LSD and / or utilise different self-report questionnaires or patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to assess HRQoL.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to review the published literature in LSDs, to identify the PROMs which have been used to assess HRQoL and generate a conceptual map of HRQoL domains measured in individuals diagnosed with LSDs.

METHODS

Three electronic databases were searched in March 2022. Primary studies of any design which utilised multi-item PROMs to assess at least one aspect of HRQoL in individuals with LSDs since 2017 were identified. Data were extracted to assess both the characteristics of each study and of the PROMs utilised within each study. The extraction of HRQoL domains and synthesis were informed by an a priori framework, inductively modified to reflect data emerging from the identified literature. Selection and extraction was undertaken independently by two reviewers; discrepancies were ratified by a third reviewer.

RESULTS

Sixty nine studies were identified which were published 2017-2022, with a combined total of 52 PROMs (71 variants) used to assess HRQoL in individuals with LSDs. The final extracted HRQoL framework included 7 domains (Activities; Physical sensations; Autonomy; Cognition; Feelings and emotions; Self-identity; Relationships), characterised by 37 sub-domains.

CONCLUSIONS

This review highlights the breadth and variety of HRQoL domains assessed in individuals with LSDs, across three broad domains of physical, psychological and social functioning. The resultant framework and mapped PROMs will aid researchers and clinicians in the selection of PROMs to assess aspects of HRQoL in people living with LSDs, based on their conceptual coverage.

Behavioral interventions and behavior change techniques used to improve sleep outcomes in athlete populations: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Athletes display a high prevalence of undesired sleep characteristics that may affect both performance and wellbeing.

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aimed to identify and map the existing evidence of behavioral sleep interventions and their effects on sleep outcomes in athletes, and retrospectively code the behavior change techniques (BCTs) implemented using the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy (BCTTv1).

METHODS

Conducted following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, four online databases were used to identify prospective interventions with at least one behavioral component in competitive athletes, and reporting a sleep outcome pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 892 participants with a median age of 23. Five intervention categories were identified (education, mind-body practices, direct, multi-component, and other), with each demonstrating mixed efficacy but the potential to improve sleep outcomes. The BCTs varied in type and frequency between each category, with only 18 unique BCTs identified across all studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The varied efficacy of previous studies at improving sleep outcomes may be attributed to the lack of behavior change theory applied during intervention development. Designing interventions following a targeted specification of the behavioral problem, and the integration of corresponding BCTs should be considered in future research.

How intervention studies measure the effectiveness of medication safety-related clinical decision support systems in primary and long-term care: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Medication errors and associated adverse drug events (ADE) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, the prevention of medication errors has become a high priority in healthcare systems. In order to improve medication safety, computerized Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are increasingly being integrated into the medication process. Accordingly, a growing number of studies have investigated the medication safety-related effectiveness of CDSS. However, the outcome measures used are heterogeneous, leading to unclear evidence. The primary aim of this study is to summarize and categorize the outcomes used in interventional studies evaluating the effects of CDSS on medication safety in primary and long-term care.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library for interventional studies evaluating the effects of CDSS targeting medication safety and patient-related outcomes. We extracted methodological characteristics, outcomes and empirical findings from the included studies. Outcomes were assigned to three main categories: process-related, harm-related, and cost-related. Risk of bias was assessed using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Almost all studies (n = 31) used process-related outcomes, followed by harm-related outcomes (n = 11). Only three studies used cost-related outcomes. Most studies used outcomes from only one category and no study used outcomes from all three categories. The definition and operationalization of outcomes varied widely between the included studies, even within outcome categories. Overall, evidence on CDSS effectiveness was mixed. A significant intervention effect was demonstrated by nine of fifteen studies with process-related primary outcomes (60%) but only one out of five studies with harm-related primary outcomes (20%). The included studies faced a number of methodological problems that limit the comparability and generalizability of their results.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence on the effectiveness of CDSS is currently inconclusive due in part to inconsistent outcome definitions and methodological problems in the literature. Additional high-quality studies are therefore needed to provide a comprehensive account of CDSS effectiveness. These studies should follow established methodological guidelines and recommendations and use a comprehensive set of harm-, process- and cost-related outcomes with agreed-upon and consistent definitions.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42023464746.

Navigating process evaluation in co-creation: a Health CASCADE scoping review of used frameworks and assessed components

BACKGROUND

Co-creation is seen as a way to ensure all relevant needs and perspectives are included and to increase its potential for beneficial effects and uptake process evaluation is crucial. However, existing process evaluation frameworks have been built on practices characterised by top-down developed and implemented interventions and may be limited in capturing essential elements of co-creation. This study aims to provide a review of studies planning and/or conducting a process evaluation of public health interventions adopting a co-creation approach and aims to derive assessed process evaluation components, used frameworks and insights into formative and/or participatory evaluation.

METHODS

We searched for studies on Scopus and the Health CASCADE Co-Creation Database. Co-authors performed a concept-mapping exercise to create a set of overarching dimensions for clustering the identified process evaluation components.

RESULTS

54 studies were included. Conceptualisation of process evaluation included in studies concerned intervention implementation, outcome evaluation, mechanisms of impact, context and the co-creation process. 22 studies (40%) referenced ten existing process evaluation or evaluation frameworks and most referenced were the frameworks developed by Moore et al (14%), Saunders et al (5%), Steckler and Linnan (5%) and Nielsen and Randall (5%).38 process evaluation components were identified, with a focus on participation (48%), context (40%), the experience of co-creators (29%), impact (29%), satisfaction (25%) and fidelity (24%).13 studies (24%) conducted formative evaluation, 37 (68%) conducted summative evaluation and 2 studies (3%) conducted participatory evaluation.

CONCLUSION

The broad spectrum of process evaluation components addressed in co-creation studies, covering both the evaluation of the co-creation process and the intervention implementation, highlights the need for a process evaluation tailored to co-creation studies. This work provides an overview of process evaluation components, clustered in dimensions and reflections which researchers and practitioners can use to plan a process evaluation of a co-creation process and intervention.

Reporting quality of published reviews of commercial and publicly available mobile health apps (mHealth app reviews): a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Reviews of commercial and publicly available smartphone (mobile) health applications (mHealth app reviews) are being undertaken and published. However, there is variation in the conduct and reporting of mHealth app reviews, with no existing reporting guidelines. Building on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we aim to develop the Consensus for APP Review Reporting Items (CAPPRRI) guidance, to support the conduct and reporting of mHealth app reviews. This scoping review of published mHealth app reviews will explore their alignment, deviation, and modification to the PRISMA 2020 items for systematic reviews and identify a list of possible items to include in CAPPRRI.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

We are following the Joanna Briggs Institute approach and Arksey and O'Malley's five-step process. Patient and public contributors, mHealth app review, digital health research and evidence synthesis experts, healthcare professionals and a specialist librarian gave feedback on the methods. We will search SCOPUS, CINAHL Plus, AMED, EMBASE, Medline, APA PsycINFO and the ACM Digital Library for articles reporting mHealth app reviews and use a two-step screening process to identify eligible articles. Information on whether the authors have reported, or how they have modified the PRISMA 2020 items in their reporting, will be extracted. Data extraction will also include the article characteristics, protocol and registration information, review question frameworks used, information about the search and screening process, how apps have been evaluated and evidence of stakeholder engagement. This will be analysed using a content synthesis approach and presented using descriptive statistics and summaries. This protocol is registered on OSF (https://osf.io/5ahjx).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications (shared on our project website and on the EQUATOR Network website where the CAPPRRI guidance has been registered as under development), conference presentations and blog and social media posts in lay language.

Quality of life in patients with acromegaly: a scoping review

PURPOSE

To evaluate the available evidence regarding the quality of life (QoL) in patients with acromegaly, by synthesizing the psychosocial factors of QoL, QoL measures, and complementary interventions targeting QoL.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR guideline. We searched six English databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) from the inception to August 21, 2023. We included observational studies involving psychosocial factors and complementary interventions targeting QoL (concept) in patients with acromegaly (population) in any setting (context). The design characteristics, psychosocial factors, measures, details of interventions, and outcomes of included studies were described in detail.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were identified, including sixteen cross-sectional studies and five interventional studies. Ten categories of psychosocial factors that are associated with QoL in acromegaly. Depression and anxiety were the most frequent psychosocial factors. Seven different validated QoL measures were used. AcroQoL was the most common measure. Two categories of complementary interventions targeting QoL were identified including psychological and exercise interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Our scoping review provides a reasonably clear picture of the current research status of QoL in acromegaly. However, this review also highlights the need to deepen understanding of QoL and psychosocial factors in the future, as well as conduct longitudinal research and qualitative research to clarify the changing trends of psychosocial factors and specific experiences of patients. Further, more potential clinical complementary interventions are needed to improve QoL for patients with acromegaly.

The Landscape of Care for Women Veterans with Cancer: An Evidence Map

BACKGROUND

Women are the fastest growing veteran group in the US and the number of women veterans (WVs) with cancer is rising; however, little is known about this population. Cancer care for WVs is complex and it is essential to understand their unique needs and care coordination challenges to provide evidence-based care. The purpose of this review is to map the quantity, distribution, and characteristics of literature describing cancer and its treatment among WVs.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase (Elsevier), and Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate) from inception through January, 2024. Publications were eligible that reported gender-specific data on any aspect of cancer care among WVs. Data was abstracted by a single investigator with over-reading.

RESULTS

Forty-six reports were included; 44 were observational and 19 had a women-only sample. There were no interventional reports and no qualitative reports had a patient sample. Breast cancer was the most commonly addressed (n = 19). There were six additional reports on sex-specific cancers. Many reports used large VA databases or previous trial data, creating the potential for patient overlap between reports. Among VA-specific areas of interest, only three reports evaluated the potential implications of racial differences and only two included a transgender population. No reports examined the effects of toxic exposures on cancer. Within the NCI Cancer Control Continuum, crosscutting areas were more commonly represented; over half (25) of the reports addressed epidemiology. There were few reports on focus areas and little overlap between focus and crosscutting areas.

DISCUSSION

Existing literature provides an inadequate understanding of the population of WVs with cancer. There is scant information regarding the population of WVs with cancer, their care preferences or experiences, or how to best identify and address unmet healthcare needs. It is imperative to expand research to provide evidence-based care for this population.

Cancer cost-related subjective financial distress among breast cancer: a scoping review

PURPOSE

This article provided a comprehensive scoping review, synthesizing existing literature on the financial distress faced by breast cancer patients. It examined the factors contributing to financial distress, the impact on patients, coping mechanisms employed, and potential alleviation methods. The goal was to organize existing evidence and highlight possible directions for future research.

METHODS

We followed the scoping review framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) to synthesize and report evidence. We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, for relevant literature. We included English articles that met the following criteria: (a) the research topic was financial distress or financial toxicity, (b) the research subjects were adult breast cancer patients, and (c) the article type was quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research. We then extracted and integrated relevant information for reporting.

RESULTS

After removing duplicates, 5459 articles were retrieved, and 43 articles were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles addressed four main themes related to financial distress: factors associated with financial distress, impact on breast cancer patients, coping mechanisms, and potential methods for alleviation. The impact of financial distress on patients was observed in six dimensions: financial expenses, financial resources, social-psychological reactions, support seeking, coping care, and coping lifestyle. While some studies reported potential methods for alleviation, few discussed the feasibility of these solutions.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer patients experience significant financial distress with multidimensional impacts. Comprehensive consideration of possible confounding factors is essential when measuring financial distress. Future research should focus on exploring and validating methods to alleviate or resolve this issue.

Design of Digital Mental Health Platforms for Family Member Cocompletion: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an additional mental health burden on individuals and families, resulting in widespread service access problems. Digital mental health interventions suggest promise for improved accessibility. Recent reviews have shown emerging evidence for individual use and early evidence for multiusers. However, attrition rates remain high for digital mental health interventions, and additional complexities exist when engaging multiple family members together.

OBJECTIVE

As such, this scoping review aims to detail the reported evidence for digital mental health interventions designed for family use with a focus on the build and design characteristics that promote accessibility and engagement and enable cocompletion by families.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases was conducted for articles published in the English language from January 2002 to March 2024. Eligible records included empirical studies of digital platforms containing some elements designed for cocompletion by related people as well as some components intended to be completed without therapist engagement. Platforms were included in cases in which clinical evidence had been documented.

RESULTS

Of the 9527 papers reviewed, 85 (0.89%) met the eligibility criteria. A total of 24 unique platforms designed for co-use by related parties were identified. Relationships between participants included couples, parent-child dyads, family caregiver-care recipient dyads, and families. Common platform features included the delivery of content via structured interventions with no to minimal tailoring or personalization offered. Some interventions provided live contact with therapists. User engagement indicators and findings varied and included user experience, satisfaction, completion rates, and feasibility. Our findings are more remarkable for what was absent in the literature than what was present. Contrary to expectations, few studies reported any design and build characteristics that enabled coparticipation. No studies reported on platform features for enabling cocompletion or considerations for ensuring individual privacy and safety. None examined platform build or design characteristics as moderators of intervention effect, and none offered a formative evaluation of the platform itself.

CONCLUSIONS

In this early era of digital mental health platform design, this novel review demonstrates a striking absence of information about design elements associated with the successful engagement of multiple related users in any aspect of a therapeutic process. There remains a large gap in the literature detailing and evaluating platform design, highlighting a significant opportunity for future cross-disciplinary research. This review details the incentive for undertaking such research; suggests design considerations when building digital mental health platforms for use by families; and offers recommendations for future development, including platform co-design and formative evaluation.

Guideline for reporting systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs): PRISMA-COSMIN for OMIs 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although comprehensive and widespread guidelines on how to conduct systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) exist, for example from the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) initiative, key information is often missing in published reports. This article describes the development of an extension of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guideline: PRISMA-COSMIN for OMIs 2024.

METHODS

The development process followed the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research (EQUATOR) guidelines and included a literature search, expert consultations, a Delphi study, a hybrid workgroup meeting, pilot testing, and an end-of-project meeting, with integrated patient/public involvement.

RESULTS

From the literature and expert consultation, 49 potentially relevant reporting items were identified. Round 1 of the Delphi study was completed by 103 panelists, whereas round 2 and 3 were completed by 78 panelists. After 3 rounds, agreement (≥67%) on inclusion and wording was reached for 44 items. Eleven items without consensus for inclusion and/or wording were discussed at a workgroup meeting attended by 24 participants. Agreement was reached for the inclusion and wording of 10 items, and the deletion of 1 item. Pilot testing with 65 authors of OMI systematic reviews further improved the guideline through minor changes in wording and structure, finalized during the end-of-project meeting. The final checklist to facilitate the reporting of full systematic review reports contains 54 (sub)items addressing the review's title, abstract, plain language summary, open science, introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Thirteen items pertaining to the title and abstract are also included in a separate abstract checklist, guiding authors in reporting for example conference abstracts.

CONCLUSION

PRISMA-COSMIN for OMIs 2024 consists of two checklists (full reports; abstracts), their corresponding explanation and elaboration documents detailing the rationale and examples for each item, and a data flow diagram. PRISMA-COSMIN for OMIs 2024 can improve the reporting of systematic reviews of OMIs, fostering their reproducibility and allowing end-users to appraise the quality of OMIs and select the most appropriate OMI for a specific application. NOTE: This paper was jointly developed by Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Quality of Life Research, Journal of Patient Reported Outcomes, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes and jointly published by Elsevier Inc, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, and BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature. The articles are identical except for minor stylistic and spelling differences in keeping with each journal's style. Either citation can be used when citing this article.

Pulmonary nodules and the psychological harm they can cause: A scoping review

More than 1.6 million pulmonary nodules are diagnosed in the United States each year. Although the majority of nodules are found to be benign, nodule detection and the process of ruling out malignancy can cause patients psychological harm to varying degrees. The present study undertakes a scoping review of the literature investigating pulmonary nodule-related psychological harm as a primary or secondary outcome. Online databases were systematically searched to identify papers published through June 30, 2023, from which 19 publications were reviewed. We examined prevalence by type, measurement, associated factors, and behavioral or clinical consequences. Of the 19 studies reviewed, 11 studies investigated distress, anxiety (n = 6), and anxiety and depression (n = 4). Prevalence of distress was 24.0 %-56.7 %; anxiety 9.9 %-42.1 %, and 14.6 %-27.0 % for depression. A wide range of demographic and social characteristics and clinical factors were associated with nodule-related psychological harm. Outcomes of nodule-related harms included experiencing conflict when deciding about treatment or surveillance, decreased adherence to surveillance, adoption of more aggressive treatment, and lower health-related quality of life. Our scoping review demonstrates that nodule-related psychological harm is common. Findings provide evidence that nodule-related psychological harm can influence clinical decisions and adherence to treatment recommendations. Future research should focus on discerning between nodule-related distress and anxiety; identifying patients at risk; ascertaining the extent of psychological harm on patient behavior and clinical decisions; and developing interventions to assist patients in managing psychological harm for better health-related quality of life and treatment outcomes.

Participatory research in mental health care services in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this scoping review will be to identify and map the characteristics of participatory research approaches in mental health care services conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

INTRODUCTION

Developing countries have a treatment gap of 76% to 85% for mental disorders. Participatory research can help understand community perspectives, which, in turn, helps develop sustainable, contextually specific services. Although participatory research appears promising, especially in the context of LMICs, the field is heterogenous in terms of the methods used; the various stakeholders; the design, implementation, and evaluation of services; and outcome measures.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will include all studies on participatory research in mental health care services in LMICs. All types of participants (ie, children/adolescent/adults, gender, rural/urban, etc.) and settings will be considered.

METHODS

The proposed review will follow the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Published and unpublished studies will be searched for in MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and Google Scholar (first 10 pages). We will also search for gray literature and screen reference lists of relevant reviews. Two independent reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts of the studies, followed by full-text screening. Data will be extracted using a predefined form. The findings will be descriptively presented with supporting tables and diagrams, accompanied by a narrative summary.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

Details of the review can be found in Open Science Framework https://osf.io/cn54r.

The global impact of COVID-19 on tuberculosis: A thematic scoping review, 2020-2023

BACKGROUND

This thematic scoping review of publications sought to understand the global impact of COVID-19 on tuberculosis (TB), interpret the scope of resonating themes, and offer policy recommendations to stimulate TB recovery and future pandemic preparedness.

DATA SOURCES

Publications were captured from three search engines, PubMed, EBSCO, and Google Scholar, and applicable websites written in English from January 1, 2020, to April 30, 2023.

STUDY SELECTION

Our scoping review was limited to publications detailing the impact of COVID-19 on TB. Original research, reviews, letters, and editorials describing the deleterious and harmful--yet sometimes positive--impact of COVID-19 (sole exposure) on TB (sole outcome) were included. The objective was to methodically categorize the impacts into themes through a comprehensive review of selected studies to provide significant health policy guidance.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two authors independently screened citations and full texts, while the third arbitrated when consensus was not met. All three performed data extraction.

DATA SYNTHESIS/RESULTS

Of 1,755 screened publications, 176 (10%) covering 39 countries over 41 months met the inclusion criteria. By independently using a data extraction instrument, the three authors identified ten principal themes from each publication. These themes were later finalized through a consensus decision. The themes encompassed TB's care cascade, patient-centered care, psychosocial issues, and health services: 1) case-finding and notification (n = 45; 26%); 2) diagnosis and laboratory systems (n = 19; 10.7%) 3) prevention, treatment, and care (n = 22; 12.2%); 4) telemedicine/telehealth (n = 12; 6.8%); 5) social determinants of health (n = 14; 8%); 6) airborne infection prevention and control (n = 8; 4.6%); 7) health system strengthening (n = 22; 13%); 8) mental health (n = 13; 7.4%); 9) stigma (n = 11; 6.3%); and 10) health education (n = 10; 5.7%).

LIMITATIONS

Heterogeneity of publications within themes.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified ten globally generalizable themes of COVID-19's impact on TB. The impact and lessons learned from the themed analysis propelled us to draft public health policy recommendations to direct evidence-informed guidance that strengthens comprehensive global responses, recovery for TB, and future airborne pandemic preparedness.

Methods and approaches for developing plain language versions of guidelines recommendations: Scoping review protocol

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This is a protocol of a scoping review that will aim to synthesise methodological evidence on formulating plain language versions of recommendations from guidelines both for clinical practice and for public health.

METHOD

We will conduct a search in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid) databases, and webpages of guidelines developers with no language and date limitations. The title/abstract and full-text screening will be performed by two reviewers independently. The team of reviewers will extract data on methods used for developing plain language versions of recommendations in a standardised manner. The data analysis and synthesis will be presented narratively in tabular form.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

We will conduct a scoping review based on this protocol.

Connected Speech Fluency in Poststroke and Progressive Aphasia: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Approaches and Features

PURPOSE

Speech fluency has important diagnostic implications for individuals with poststroke aphasia (PSA) as well as primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and quantitative assessment of connected speech has emerged as a widely used approach across both etiologies. The purpose of this review was to provide a clearer picture on the range, nature, and utility of individual quantitative speech/language measures and methods used to assess connected speech fluency in PSA and PPA, and to compare approaches across etiologies.

METHOD

We conducted a scoping review of literature published between 2012 and 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Forty-five studies were included in the review. Literature was charted and summarized by etiology and characteristics of included patient populations and method(s) used for derivation and analysis of speech/language features. For a subset of included articles, we also charted the individual quantitative speech/language features reported and the level of significance of reported results.

RESULTS

Results showed that similar methodological approaches have been used to quantify connected speech fluency in both PSA and PPA. Two hundred nine individual speech-language features were analyzed in total, with low levels of convergence across etiology on specific features but greater agreement on the most salient features. The most useful features for differentiating fluent from nonfluent aphasia in both PSA and PPA were features related to overall speech quantity, speech rate, or grammatical competence.

CONCLUSIONS

Data from this review demonstrate the feasibility and utility of quantitative approaches to index connected speech fluency in PSA and PPA. We identified emergent trends toward automated analysis methods and data-driven approaches, which offer promising avenues for clinical translation of quantitative approaches. There is a further need for improved consensus on which subset of individual features might be most clinically useful for assessment and monitoring of fluency.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25537237.

Current Research on Matching Trauma-Focused Therapies to Veterans: A Scoping Review

INTRODUCTION

Trauma-focused (psycho)therapies (TFTs) are often used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of (military) veterans, including prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. However, research thus far has not conclusively determined predictors of TFTs' success in this population. This scoping review's objectives are 1) to explore whether it is possible, based on currently available evidence, to match TFTs to veterans to maximize their outcomes, (2) to identify possible contraindications and adaptations of TFTs for this population, and (3) to identify gaps in the literature to guide future research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Standard scoping review methodology was used. "White" and "gray" literature searches resulted in 4963 unique items identified. Following title and abstract screening and full-text analysis, 187 sources were included in the review. After data extraction, a narrative summary was used to identify common themes, discrepancies between sources, and knowledge gaps.

RESULTS

Included publications most often studied CPT and PE rather than eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. These TFTs were at least partly effective with mostly moderate effect sizes. Attrition rates were slightly higher for PE versus CPT. There was variance in the methodological quality of the included studies.

CONCLUSION

The current literature on TFTs to treat PTSD in veterans contains several knowledge gaps, including regarding treatment matching. Future research should examine effectiveness of these treatments using multiple sources of outcomes, longer time periods, combination with other treatment, outcomes outside of PTSD symptoms (such as functioning), and resilience.

Hypernatremia in hospitalised adult patients: A protocol for a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Hypernatremia is a common electrolyte disturbance in hospitalised patients associated with adverse outcomes. The aetiology is diverse but often related to fluid therapy and sodium-containing medicaments. We aim to outline the evidence base on hypernatremia in adult hospitalised patients.

METHODS

We will conduct a scoping review and adhere to the preferred reporting items for systematic and meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We will systematically search the Cochrane Library, Medline, Pubmed, and Embase from inception with no limitations to language, and include all study designs. We will use the population, exposure, comparator, and outcome-based approach to define eligibility criteria. The population: adult hospitalised patients; exposure: hypernatremia; comparator: no hypernatremia or all types of treatments of hypernatremia; and outcomes: all reported outcomes. Two authors will independently screen and select studies followed by full-text assessment and data extraction in duplicate. All outcome measures will be reported, and descriptive analyses will be performed. The certainty of evidence will be assessed according to an adapted grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach.

DISCUSSION

This scoping review will provide an overview of the current evidence regarding the incidence of hypernatremia, treatment modalities, and outcomes reported for hospitalised adult patients with hypernatremia.

Extent, range, and nature of studies examining sleep in nurses: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review aims to comprehensively map the extent, range, and nature of studies that examine the various dimensions of nurses' sleep across all health care settings or countries.

INTRODUCTION

Over the past 2 decades, the importance of sleep for nurses has gained increasing attention from health care administrators, researchers, and policymakers. Despite growing research in the area, it remains unclear as to how research on sleep in nurses aligns with emerging concepts in sleep medicine more broadly, particularly in terms of how outcomes and predictors are associated with different dimensions of sleep.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will include primary studies that examine nurses' sleep. All dimensions of sleep (eg, duration, timing, variability, quality, and common disorders) and all nurses, irrespective of career stage, will be considered for inclusion.

METHODS

This review will utilize the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMSA-ScR). Databases to be searched include MEDLINE (Ovid), Emcare, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus. A 3-step search strategy will be undertaken to identify primary studies published in English with no date limit. The data extracted will include specific details about the nursing population, sleep dimension, outcome measures, methodology, and key findings. Figurative, tabular, and accompanying narrative synthesis will be used to present the results in line with the review questions.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework https://osf.io/rzc4m.

Human Factors in AI-Driven Digital Solutions for Increasing Physical Activity: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance physical activity (PA) interventions. However, human factors (HFs) play a pivotal role in the successful integration of AI into mobile health (mHealth) solutions for promoting PA. Understanding and optimizing the interaction between individuals and AI-driven mHealth apps is essential for achieving the desired outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to review and describe the current evidence on the HFs in AI-driven digital solutions for increasing PA.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review by searching for publications containing terms related to PA, HFs, and AI in the titles and abstracts across 3 databases-PubMed, Embase, and IEEE Xplore-and Google Scholar. Studies were included if they were primary studies describing an AI-based solution aimed at increasing PA, and results from testing the solution were reported. Studies that did not meet these criteria were excluded. Additionally, we searched the references in the included articles for relevant research. The following data were extracted from included studies and incorporated into a qualitative synthesis: bibliographic information, study characteristics, population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, and AI-related information. The certainty of the evidence in the included studies was evaluated using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation).

RESULTS

A total of 15 studies published between 2015 and 2023 involving 899 participants aged approximately between 19 and 84 years, 60.7% (546/899) of whom were female participants, were included in this review. The interventions lasted between 2 and 26 weeks in the included studies. Recommender systems were the most commonly used AI technology in digital solutions for PA (10/15 studies), followed by conversational agents (4/15 studies). User acceptability and satisfaction were the HFs most frequently evaluated (5/15 studies each), followed by usability (4/15 studies). Regarding automated data collection for personalization and recommendation, most systems involved fitness trackers (5/15 studies). The certainty of the evidence analysis indicates moderate certainty of the effectiveness of AI-driven digital technologies in increasing PA (eg, number of steps, distance walked, or time spent on PA). Furthermore, AI-driven technology, particularly recommender systems, seems to positively influence changes in PA behavior, although with very low certainty evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Current research highlights the potential of AI-driven technologies to enhance PA, though the evidence remains limited. Longer-term studies are necessary to assess the sustained impact of AI-driven technologies on behavior change and habit formation. While AI-driven digital solutions for PA hold significant promise, further exploration into optimizing AI's impact on PA and effectively integrating AI and HFs is crucial for broader benefits. Thus, the implications for innovation management involve conducting long-term studies, prioritizing diversity, ensuring research quality, focusing on user experience, and understanding the evolving role of AI in PA promotion.

Mental health of midwives during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

AIM

A summary of studies focusing on the mental health of midwives during the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet been conducted. This review aims to comprehensively understand the current state of midwives' mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide valuable insights to guide future research.

METHODS

This study was based on a framework for conducting scoping reviews. The protocol was registered before conducting this review and procedures were carried out according to that protocol. Article searches were conducted in four databases from December 2019 to December 2023. From 921 articles selected according to pre-registered protocol criteria, the analysis finally included 14 studies.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies were cross-sectional and one was longitudinal, with pre-pandemic data. More than 80% of the studies began data collection within approximately 1 year after the pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (by February 2021). Half of the studies were conducted in Asia. Burnout and turnover intentions were investigated in several studies but used different measures. Only two studies were aimed at positive aspects such as job satisfaction and well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Most research on midwives' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on negative aspects such as burnout and turnover intentions. However, most results were cross-sectional, with studies in the early stages of the pandemic, so continued follow-up is needed.

A Scoping Review of the Intersectionality of Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disability with Social Inequity on Diagnosis and Treatment of Youth

Objective: To describe how the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and language with autism and intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) impacts mental health inequities in psychopharmacological management of youth. Method: This was a scoping review in which a series of searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and manual review of the articles collected. Results: Although autism and/or IDD increases the risk for poor physical and mental health, social determinants of health such as race, ethnicity, and language account for approximately a third of poor outcomes. Minoritized children with autism/IDD experience significantly greater delays to diagnosis and misdiagnosis and are less likely to receive appropriate services. Access to psychological testing and psychosocial services is often limited by availability, skilled practitioners, a shortage of non-English-language providers or interpreters, and poor reimbursement. Conclusion: The intersectionality of autism and/or IDD with race, ethnicity, and language compounds the health inequities associated with either of these challenges independently.

Healthcare leaders navigating complexity: a scoping review of key trends in future roles and competencies

BACKGROUND

As healthcare systems rapidly become more complex, healthcare leaders are navigating expanding role scopes and increasingly varied tasks to ensure the provision of high-quality patient care. Despite a range of leadership theories, models, and training curricula to guide leadership development, the roles and competencies required by leaders in the context of emerging healthcare challenges (e.g., disruptive technologies, ageing populations, and burnt-out workforces) have not been sufficiently well conceptualized. This scoping review aimed to examine these roles and competencies through a deep dive into the contemporary academic and targeted gray literature on future trends in healthcare leadership roles and competencies.

METHODS

Three electronic databases (Business Source Premier, Medline, and Embase) were searched from January 2018 to February 2023 for peer-reviewed literature on key future trends in leadership roles and competencies. Websites of reputable healthcare- and leadership-focused organizations were also searched. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to explore both the range and depth of literature and the key concepts underlying leadership roles and competencies.

RESULTS

From an initial 348 articles identified in the literature and screened for relevance, 39 articles were included in data synthesis. Future leadership roles and competencies were related to four key themes: innovation and adaptation (e.g., flexibility and vision setting), collaboration and communication (e.g., relationship and trust building), self-development and self-awareness (e.g., experiential learning and self-examination), and consumer and community focus (e.g., public health messaging). In each of these areas, a broad range of strategies and approaches contributed to effective leadership under conditions of growing complexity, and a diverse array of contexts and situations for which these roles and competencies are applicable.

CONCLUSIONS

This research highlights the inherent interdependence of leadership requirements and health system complexity. Rather than as sets of roles and competencies, effective healthcare leadership might be better conceptualized as a set of broad goals to pursue that include fostering collaboration amongst stakeholders, building cultures of capacity, and continuously innovating for improved quality of care.

Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating in disadvantaged adults living in the UK: a scoping review

In the UK people living in disadvantaged communities are less likely than those with higher socio-economic status to have a healthy diet. To address this inequality, it is crucial scientists, practitioners and policy makers understand the factors that hinder and assist healthy food choice in these individuals. In this scoping review, we aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among disadvantaged individuals living in the UK. Additionally, we used the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to synthesise results and provide a guide for the development of theory-informed behaviour change interventions. Five databases were searched, (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) for articles assessing healthy dietary intake of disadvantaged adults living in the UK. A total of 50 papers (34 quantitative; 16 qualitative) were included in this review. Across all studies we identified 78 barriers and 49 facilitators found to either impede and/or encourage healthy eating. Both barriers and facilitators were more commonly classified under the Environmental, Context and Resources TDF domain, with 74% of studies assessing at least one factor pertaining to this domain. Results thus indicate that context related factors such as high cost and accessibility of healthy food, rather than personal factors, such as lack of efficiency in healthy lifestyle drive unhealthy eating in disadvantaged individuals in the UK. We discuss how such factors are largely overlooked in current interventions and propose that more effort should be directed towards implementing interventions that specifically target infrastructures rather than individuals.

Examining nonmilitary and nongovernmental humanitarian surgical capacity and response in armed conflicts: A scoping review of the recent literature

BACKGROUND

Armed conflicts pose a burden on health care services. We sought to assess the surgical capacity and responses of nonmilitary and nongovernmental humanitarian responders in armed conflicts through proxy indicators to identify strategies to address surgical needs.

METHODS

We searched 6 databases for articles/studies from January 1, 2013, to March 10, 2023. We included articles detailing the surgical capacity of nonmilitary, nongovernmental organizations operating in armed conflicts. We defined surgical capacity through indicators including the type and number of surgical procedures; number of operating rooms, surgical beds, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and surgical equipment; and type of anesthesia employed.

RESULTS

We screened 2,187 abstracts and 279 full texts and included 30 articles/studies. Our sample covered 23 countries and 17 surgical specialties. Most publications focused on surgical capacity assessment (63.3%, 19/30) and surgical and clinical outcomes (63.3%, 19/30). Most articles/studies reported surgical capacity indicators at the hospital (56.7%, 17/30) and multinational (26.7%, 8/30) levels. The number (86.7%, 26/30) and type (76.7%, 23/30) of surgical procedures performed were the most commonly reported. More than one half of the articles (53.3%, 16/30) described strategies to meet surgical needs in armed conflicts. Most strategies addressed information management (68.8%, 11/16), health workforce (62.5%, 10/16), and service delivery (62.5%, 10/16).

CONCLUSION

This review collated common approaches for strengthening health care services in armed conflicts. Several articles emphasized strategies for improving information management, service delivery, and workforce capacity. Hence, we call for standardization of response protocols and multilevel collaborations to maintain or even scale up surgical capacity in armed conflicts.

A gender-based review of workplace violence amongst the global health workforce-A scoping review of the literature

Workplace violence (WPV) impacts all levels of the health workforce, including the individual provider, organization, and society. While there is a substantial body of literature on various aspects of WPV against the health workforce, gender-based WPV (GB-WPV) has received less attention. Violence in both the workplace and broader society is rooted in gendered socio-economic, cultural, and institutional factors. Developing a robust understanding of GB-WPV is crucial to explore the differing experiences, responses, and outcomes of GB-WPV with respect to gender. We conducted a scoping review and report on the prevalence and risk factors of GB-WPV in healthcare settings globally. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We registered the scoping review protocol on the Open Science Framework on January 14, 2022, at https://osf.io/t4pfb/. A systematic search was conducted of empirical literature in five health and social science databases. Of 13667, 226 studies were included in the analysis. Across the studies, more women than men experienced non-physical violence, including verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and bullying. Men experienced more physical violence compared to women. Younger age, less experience, shifting duties, specific clinical settings, lower professional status, organizational hierarchy, and minority status were found to be sensitive to gender, reflecting women's structural disadvantages in the workplace. Given the high prevalence and impact of GB-WPV on women, we provided recommendations to address systemic issues in clinical practice, academia, policy, and research.

Digital health technologies and inequalities: A scoping review of potential impacts and policy recommendations

Digital health technologies hold promises for reducing health care costs, enhancing access to care, and addressing labor shortages. However, they risk exacerbating inequalities by disproportionately benefitting a subset of the population. Use of digital technologies accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our scoping review aimed to describe how inequalities related to their use were conceptually assessed during and after the pandemic and understand how digital strategies and policies might support digital equity. We used the PRISMA Extension for scoping reviews, identifying 2055 papers through an initial search of 3 databases in 2021 and complementary search in 2022, of which 41 were retained. Analysis was guided by the eHealth equity framework. Results showed that digital inequalities were reported in the U.S. and other high-income countries and were mainly assessed through differences in access and use according to individual sociodemographic characteristics. Health disparities related to technology use and the interaction between context and technology implementation were more rarely documented. Policy recommendations stressed the adoption of an equity lens in strategy development and multilayered and intersectoral collaboration to align interventions with the needs of specific subgroups. Finally, findings suggested that evaluations of health and wellbeing distribution related to the use of digital technologies should inform digital strategies and health policies.

Research on commercial milk formulas for young children: A scoping review

A scoping review of publications about commercial milk formulas intended for or consumed by children 12-36 months (CMF 12-36) was conducted. This review aimed to comprehensively map the existing literature, identify key concepts in the field and understand its evolution through time. A total of 3329 articles were screened and 220 were included, published between 1986 and 2024. Most works were published after 2016 (70.0%) and in high-income countries (71.8%). Original studies were the vast majority (81.8%) of publications. Most publications dealt with feeding practices or analysed the composition and/or contamination of specific products (44.1% and 35.9%), but since the late 2000s, publications about marketing, policy, legislation, and consumer perception started to appear. Most published works (65.5%) did not focus exclusively on CMF 12-36 and included formulas for other demographics or other foods. About half of the works (55.5%) did not consider CMF 12-36 to be a breast milk substitute. We found 81 distinct product denominations used to refer to CMF 12-36, Growing Up Milk was the most common (25.9%). CMF industry was involved in 41.8% of all analysed works, and industry participation and funding were not always clearly informed (22.5% lacked a conflict of interest statement, and 25.5% did not present any information about funding). In the last decade, publications about CMF 12-36 have increased in volume and diversified in scope and subject matter. CMF-industry participation has always been and still is present in the field, so possible vested interests should be taken into account when appreciating the literature.

Strategies to improve end-of-life decision-making and palliative care following hip fracture in frail older adults: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Although surgery is the gold standard following a hip fracture, the potential for rehabilitation and survival rates are low in frail older patients. Some patients may derive more benefit from palliative care. The objectives of this review were to identify the available strategies to improve end-of-life decision-making and palliative care for frail patients with hip fractures and to synthetise their level of support.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of the scientific and grey literature, searching seven databases and websites of associations. We included all study designs, expert opinion articles and clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Data were synthetised according to the Approach to Patient with Limited Life Expectancy and Hip Fracture framework. The number of research items and their level of evidence were tabulated for each of the recommended strategies.

RESULTS

Of the 10 591 items identified, 34 were eligible. The majority of included articles were original research studies (n = 15). Half of the articles and CPGs focused on intervention categories (55%) such as goals of care discussion and comfort care, followed by factors to consider in the end-of-life decision-making process (25%) and prognosis assessments (20%), mainly through the estimation of life expectancy. The level of evidence for these strategies remains low, given the limited number of prospective studies supporting them.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review highlighted that end-of-life care in frail older patients with a hip fracture remains understudied. The strategies identified could be prioritised for future research to improve the well-being of the target population while promoting sustainable resource management.

Nutritional status and dietary intake among Nigerian adolescent: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The prevailing nutritional conditions and the triple challenge of malnutrition faced by adolescents have adverse consequences for both the present and future generations' health and nutrition. Summarizing the available research on the nutritional status and dietary habits of adolescents in Nigeria is crucial.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to systematically evaluate available literature on the nutritional status of adolescent aged 10 to 19years in Nigeria.

METHODOLOGY

A systematic search using PRISMA guideline was conducted. Three electronic databases were searched i.e., PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus using specific terms and keywords for online articles published between 2013 and 2023. After applying specified inclusion and exclusion criteria, 51 articles were selected for data extraction, synthesis and quality assessment.

RESULTS

Of the 51 included studies, 78.4% were conducted in the Southern Nigeria, 11.8% in the Northern Nigeria and 9.8% included both regions. The prevalence of overweight ranged between 0.8 and 31% and obesity ranged between 0.1 and 14%. The prevalence of thinness, stunting and underweight ranged between 3 and 31%, 0.4 to 41.6%, 0.3 to 73.3% respectively. The review also identified an inadequate intake of essential nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, C, D, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, cobalamin, and folate, with vitamin A deficiency prevalence ranges from 44 to 96%. The dietary patterns were characterized by a high consumption of cereals grains and starchy foods, low animal proteins, fast-food with soft drinks, and limited consumption of fruits and vegetables along with meal skipping.

CONCLUSION

These findings portray a complex picture of the nutritional challenges faced by this demographic group, highlighting both undernutrition and overnutrition, poor eating behaviour and micronutrient deficiency as significant concerns. The review revealed regional disparities in research representation, with a concentration of studies in Southern Nigeria. This highlights the importance of directing research efforts toward the northern regions, where the prevalence of nutritional issues is equally severe, but less studied.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42023481095.

Relationships between vestibular issues, noise sensitivity, anxiety and prolonged recovery from mild traumatic brain injury among adults: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

We investigated the extent of literature and findings on relationships between vestibular issues, noise sensitivity (NS), and anxiety. We were interested in how relationships among these factors impacted adults' recovery three months or more after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review to evaluate the extent of evidence linking relationships between vestibular issues, NS and anxiety with recovery after mTBI. Data relating to study characteristics and key findings were extracted and used to inform a critical narrative synthesis of findings.

RESULTS

After screening and full-text review, we included two studies. Both studies considered the combination of vestibular issues, NS and anxiety and mTBI recovery. Vestibular issues, NS and anxiety were all significantly associated with one another and their presence was the strongest indicator that symptoms would extend beyond three-months after mTBI.

CONCLUSION

Few studies have focused on the relationships that vestibular issues, NS and anxiety have with one another and recovery after mTBI. Given the apparent strong relationships between these factors and prolonged recovery, we highlight this as an area warranting further investigation.

Characteristics of surveillance systems for suicide and self-harm: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a complex public health issue. Surveillance systems play a vital role in identifying trends and epidemiologic needs, informing public health strategies, and tailoring effective context-based suicide prevention interventions.

AIM

To identify and summarise the characteristics of specific surveillance systems and general health behaviour that include data onsuicide and self-harm.

METHOD

A scoping review following the JBI recommendations and PRISMA-ScR guidelines identified 29 relevant studies on suicide and self-harm surveillance systems. A systematic search was performed on Cinahl, Embase, Lilacs-Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, PubMed-US National Library of Medicine, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The eligibility criteria include papers that use qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods with no restrictions on time or language. The following papers were excluded regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide, as well as papers that did not explicitly describe suicide, self-harm, and surveillance systems. Two researchers independently screened the materials for eligibility and extracted data from the included studies. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine references were included, and 30 surveillance systems were identified and classified into general health behaviour surveillance (n = 15) and specific systems for suicide and self-harm (n = 15). General health behaviour systems often operate at national data collection level, collecting non-fatal data in healthcare settings, mainly emergency departments. The specific systems exhibited greater variability in terms of context, involved actors, data collection level, data collection procedures, and case classification. Limitations found by the studies pointed mostly to case definitions and data quality. Co-production, intersectoral collaboration, clear case definition criteria and data standardisation are essential to improve surveillance systems for suicide and self-harm.

CONCLUSIONS

This review identified the characteristics of surveillance systems for suicide and self-harm. Monitoring and evaluation are crucial for ongoing relevance and impact on prevention efforts.

Financial hardship and Australian midwifery students: A scoping review and thematic analysis

PROBLEM

Despite the pressing need to grow the Australian midwifery workforce, the rising cost of living is making midwifery education programs unaffordable for many. Understanding of the financial hardships faced by Australian midwifery students is currently limited.

BACKGROUND

Attrition from midwifery programs is high and rising. In Australia, this is further compounded by the financial pressures brought about by the cost-of-living crisis. Attending compulsory unremunerated clinical placements and being 'on call' for continuity of care experiences contributes to the financial challenges of midwifery students.

AIM

To identify and synthesise available literature addressing financial hardship faced by Australian midwifery students during their studies.

METHODS

Arksey and O'Malley's framework guided this scoping review. Six databases were searched between January 2020 and April 2024. The key findings of eight included papers were thematically analysed.

FINDINGS

Four themes were identified; "Attending placements and supporting COCE's as key contributors to financial hardship", "Impacts of financial hardship on midwifery students and their wider family", "Impacts upon the future growth and diversity of the profession" and "The need for universal financial support".

DISCUSSION

The findings highlight the nature of financial challenges, causational factors and the consequences of financial hardship associated with completing midwifery programs in Australia. Appropriate universal financial support is urgently needed if we are to grow and sustain the midwifery workforce.

CONCLUSION

With no primary studies specifically exploring financial hardship faced by Australian midwifery students, further research is required to understand the challenges they face and evaluate the efficacy of funding initiatives.

Health professionals implicit bias of patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) and its effects on clinical decision-making: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Research indicates that people with lower socioeconomic status (SES) receive inferior healthcare and experience poorer health outcomes compared with those with higher SES, in part due to health professional (HP) bias. We conducted a scoping review of the impact of HP bias about SES on clinical decision-making and its effect on the care of adults with lower SES.

DESIGN

JBI scoping review methods were used to perform a systematic comprehensive search for literature. The scoping review protocol has been published in BMJ Open.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase, ASSIA, Scopus and CINAHL were searched, from the first available start date of the individual database to March 2023. Two independent reviewers filtered and screened papers.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies of all designs were included in this review to provide a comprehensive map of the existing evidence of the impact of HP bias of SES on clinical decision-making and its effect on the care for people with lower SES.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Data were gathered using an adapted JBI data extraction tool for systematic scoping reviews.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven papers were included from 1975 to 2023. 35 (73%) of the included primary research studies reported an association between HP SES bias and decision-making. Thirteen (27%) of the included primary research studies did not find an association between HP SES bias and decision-making. Stereotyping and bias can adversely affect decision-making when the HP is fatigued or has a high cognitive load. There is evidence of intersectionality which can have a powerful cumulative effect on HP assessment and subsequent decision-making. HP implicit bias may be mitigated through the assertiveness of the patient with low SES.

CONCLUSION

HP decision-making is at times influenced by non-medical factors for people of low SES, and assumptions are made based on implicit bias and stereotyping, which compound or exacerbate health inequalities. Research that focuses on decision-making when the HP has a high cognitive load, would help the health community to better understand this potential influence.

Out-of-hospital paramedic interactions with people living with dementia: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Dementia encompasses neurodegenerative disorders that account for a global estimated healthcare expenditure of 1.3 trillion US dollars. In Australia, one in 12 people aged ≥65 has a diagnosis of dementia and it is the second leading cause of death. Paramedics play a crucial role in person-centred dementia care, particularly in the community. While consensus has been established on paramedicine's integration into interdisciplinary care teams, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the paramedic role in dementia care.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine and report paramedic interactions with people living with dementia in the out-of-hospital setting.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a scoping review study of paramedics and people living with dementia within the out-of-hospital setting.

METHODS

This study was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review framework. Databases were searched without date limits, up to 4 April 2023. These encompassed OVID Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, APA PsycInfo and OVID Embase. Articles were included if they were primary, peer-reviewed studies in English and reporting on paramedic-specific interactions with people living with dementia in the out-of-hospital setting. Data extraction was performed based on study setting, design, population and key findings.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine articles were included in the thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: need for training, patterns of attendances, patterns of documentation and the integrative potential of paramedicine. Paramedics reported feeling ill-equipped and unprepared in caring for patients living with dementia due to challenges in assessment and management of caregiver tensions. They were often called as a last resort due to poor service integration and a lack of alternative care pathways. Despite high conveyance rates, there was low incidence of paramedic interventions initiated. Underdocumentation of dementia and pain was found.

CONCLUSION

Emergency ambulance conveyance of people living with dementia is a surface reaction compounded by a lack of direction for paramedics in the provision of out-of-hospital care. There is a pressing need for establishment of research and educational priorities to improve paramedic training in dementia-specific skillsets.

Permanent and decidua dentition as chronological biomarkers of heavy metal contamination: A review of the forensic literature

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Contamination with heavy metals (HM) has great environmental consequences in the environment due to lack of biodegradation, in addition, accumulation in living beings causes defects in tissues and organs, deteriorating their function and inducing a wide spectrum of diseases. Human biomonitoring consists of the periodic measurement of a certain chemical substance or metabolite in a particular population, using matrices that can be acute or chronic. Teeth are chronic matrices that have great characteristics of resistance and chronological storage of information. This review aims to identify the mechanisms, spatial location, and affinity of HM within teeth, along with understanding its applicability as a chronological record matrix in the face of HM contamination.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A systematic search review was performed using the PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus metasearch engines, and the terms "teeth" OR "dental" OR "tooth" AND "heavy metals" were intersected. Complete articles are included in Spanish, English and Portuguese without time restrictions, involving studies in humans or in vitro; Letters to the editor, editorials and those that did not refer to information on the incorporation and relationship of HM with the teeth were excluded.

RESULTS

837 published articles were detected, 91 were adjusted to the search objective, and 6 were manually included. Teeth are structures with a great capacity for information retention in the face of HM contamination due to low physiological turnover and their long processes of marked formations by developmental biorhythm milestones such as the neonatal line (temporal reference indicator). The contamination mechanisms inside the tooth are linked to the affinity of hydroxyapatite for HM; this incorporation can be in the soft matrix during the apposition phase or as part of the chemical exchanges between hydroxyapatite and the elements of the environment.

CONCLUSION

The teeth present unique characteristics of great resistance and affinity for HM, as well as a chronological biomarker for human biomonitoring, so they can be used as means of expertise or evidence to confirm or rule out a fact of environmental characteristics in the legal field.

Allostasis, health, and development in Latin America

The lifespan is influenced by adverse childhood experiences that create predispositions to poor health outcomes. Here we propose an allostatic framework of childhood experiences and their impact on health across the lifespan, focusing on Latin American and Caribbean countries. This region is marked by significant social and health inequalities nested in environmental and social stressors, such as exposure to pollution, violence, and nutritional deficiencies, which critically influence current and later-life health outcomes. We review several manifestations across cognition, behavior, and the body, observed at the psychological (e.g., cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral dysfunctions), brain (e.g., alteration of the development, structure, and function of the brain), and physiological levels (e.g., dysregulation of the body systems and damage to organs). To address the complexity of the interactions between environmental and health-related factors, we present an allostatic framework regarding the cumulative burden of environmental stressors on physiological systems (e.g., cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine) related to health across the life course. Lastly, we explore the relevance of this allostatic integrative approach in informing regional interventions and public policy recommendations. We also propose a research agenda, potentially providing detailed profiling and personalized care by assessing the social and environmental conditions. This framework could facilitate the delivery of evidence-based interventions and informed childhood-centered policy-making.

Measuring access to food banks and food pantries: A scoping review of spatial analysis approaches

Food banks and food pantries are crucial in supporting access to food and addressing food insecurity for millions of people. This scoping review identified eighteen articles that applied spatial analysis approaches to measure access to food banks and food pantries. The review summarizes the methods and primary findings of these studies, and examines how these address different dimensions of food access. Findings suggest that the majority of studies measured the accessibility and availability dimensions of food access, and two addressed accommodation. Through a discussion of these studies' methods and broader literature on food environments, we highlight opportunities to integrate advanced geospatial and mixed methods to support an empirically grounded and broader understanding of food bank and pantry access in future research. This will yield a more holistic picture of food environments and provide practical implications for site selection, resource allocation, and food assistance operations.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms as a prodromal factor in Alzheimer's type neurodegenerative disease: A scoping review

Objective: Identifying neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) can aid in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, there is still a need for a greater consensus. This review aims to delineate the predominant NPS, compile a comprehensive list of the most commonly employed NPS assessment tools, and corroborate the principal findings regarding the link between NPS and neuropsychological assessment and neurobiological substrates. Methods: To conduct this scoping review, we followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We searched for relevant articles published between 2017 and 2023 in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Results: Of the 61 eligible articles, depression, anxiety, and apathy were the main NPSs. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire and Neuropsychiatric Inventory were the primary assessment tools used to evaluate NPS. Correlations between NPS severity and neurobiological markers were considered clinically significant. Furthermore, clinical procedures prioritized the use of global cognitive screening tools, assessments of executive functions, and functionality evaluations. Conclusion: Standardization of procedures is necessary because of the diversity of methods. The data show that NPS can predict the etiology, severity, form, and type of disease progression, serving as a precursor sign of AD. The results of the most common cognitive screening tools and NPS instruments provided an interesting overview of future clinical approaches.

Management and Long-Term Outcomes of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DReSS) in Children: A Scoping Review

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DReSS) is known to cause mortality and long-term sequelae in the pediatric population, however there are no established clinical practice guidelines for the management of pediatric DReSS. We conducted a scoping review, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, to summarize the currently available data on treatment, mortality, and long-term sequelae of DReSS in children (aged 0-18 years). Data from 644 individuals revealed that various treatment strategies are being used in the management of pediatric DReSS, and strategies were often used in combination. The diversity in treatment approaches cannot be solely attributed to age or disease severity and reflects the lack of evidence-based management guidelines for DReSS. Children are also at risk of developing autoimmune sequelae following DReSS, most commonly thyroid disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus. We found that the eventual development of autoimmune disease was more often associated with DReSS caused by antibiotics, especially minocycline and sulfamethoxazole, in comparison with individuals who did not develop sequelae. In this study, we identify strengths and weaknesses in the currently available literature and highlight that future prospective studies with structured and long-term follow-up of children with DReSS are needed to better understand potential risk factors for mortality and development of sequelae after DReSS.

Dementia-Friendly Transportation Services: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Transportation is an important component of dementia-friendly communities. People living with dementia have the right to access transportation services to keep their mobility in their community, which is essential for independence, well-being, and quality of life. This scoping review maps the literature on dementia-friendly transportation services and explores their characteristics to inform future development and research.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Empirical quantitative and qualitative studies in English or French that informed on transportation services for people living with dementia in the community were searched in 15 databases. Two authors independently screened records and charted relevant characteristics from selected publications. Important findings were summarized with a narrative synthesis approach.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies informed on important dimensions of transportation services in urban and/or rural context: availability, accessibility, acceptability, adaptability, and affordability. Important insights were identified: the importance of staff training and attitude, and the challenges of availability of affordable services in the rural context. Emerging policy and program intervention areas include the need for access to quiet areas in transit hubs, training to use mass public transit and mobility management.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The literature on dementia-friendly transportation services is important in the expansion and maintenance of mobility for people living with dementia in the community. The scope of the existing scientific literature remains limited. Although several studies indicated a clear need for better access to dementia-friendly transportation services, the best practices still need to be demonstrated in the scientific literature.

A Social Work Analysis of Facilitators of and Barriers to Adopting Technology in Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review

Increasing concern within social work about delivering comprehensive and high-quality care to older adults necessitates exploring their interest in information and communication technologies. The aim is to determine, via a systematic review using the PRISMA method, how the scientific literature on older adults' technology experiences through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The review differentiates between enabling factors and barriers that influence older adults' use and acceptance of technology from their own perspective. It provides social workers with a comprehensive overview of use of technologies and identify general guidelines to enhance older adults' personal and communal autonomy.

A Scoping Review of Risk Factors of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in Black Women Living in High-Income Countries: An Intersectional Approach

BACKGROUND

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are maternity-related increases in blood pressure (eg, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia). Compared with women of other races in high-income countries, Black women have a comparatively higher risk of an HDP. Intersectionality helps to provide a deeper understanding of the multifactorial identities that affect health outcomes in this high-risk population.

OBJECTIVE

In this review, we sought to explore the literature on HDP risk factors in Black women living in high-income countries and to assess the interaction of these risk factors using the conceptual framework of intersectionality.

METHODS

We conducted this review using the Arksey and O'Malley methodology with enhancements from Levac and colleagues. Published articles in English on HDP risk factors with a sample of not less than 10% of Black women in high-income countries were included. Six databases, theses, and dissertations were searched from January 2000 to July 2021. A thematic analysis was used to summarize the results.

RESULTS

A final total of 36 studies were included from the 15 480 studies retrieved; 4 key themes of HDP risks were identified: (1) biological; (2) individual traditional; (3) race and ethnicity, geographical location, and immigration status; and (4) gender related. These intersectional HDP risk factors intersect to increase the risk of HDP among Black women living in high-income countries.

CONCLUSION

Upstream approaches are recommended to lower the risks of HDP in this population.

Benefits, facilitators, and barriers of electronic medical records implementation in outpatient settings: A scoping review

This scoping review examined the breadth and depth of evidence on Electronic Medical Record (EMR) implementation benefits in outpatient settings. Following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews, five databases were searched, and 24 studies were retained and reviewed. Benefits, facilitators, and barriers to EMR implementation were extracted. Direct benefits included improved communication/reporting, work efficiency, care process, healthcare outcomes, safety, and patient-centredness of care. Indirect benefits were improved financial performance and increased data accessibility, staff satisfaction, and decision-support usage. Barriers included time and financial constraints; design/technical issues; limited information technology resources, skills, and infrastructure capacity; increased workload and reduced efficiency during implementation; incompatibility of existing systems and local regulations; and resistance from healthcare professionals. Facilitators included training, change management, user-friendliness and alignment with workflow, user experience with EMRs, top management support, and sufficient resources. More rigorous, systematic research is needed, using relevant frameworks to inform healthcare policies and guide EMR projects in outpatient areas.