scholarly journals Literature searching methods or guidance and their application to public health topics: A narrative review

Author(s):  
Andrea Heath ◽  
Paul Levay ◽  
Daniel Tuvey
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freya Mills ◽  
Charles Symons ◽  
Holly Carter

Purpose: To explore the conditions under which enforcement likely is, or is not, an effective strategy to increase adherence to recommended protective behaviours during COVID-19. Design/Methodology/Approach: Relevant search terms were entered into three key databases (Google Scholar, medXriv, psyArXiv) to identify both peer-reviewed and pre-publication articles that reported empirical data relating to the impact of enforcement on adherence with recommended public health behaviours. Findings: Enforcement is less effective when: it is applied inconsistently; rules are ambiguous; behaviours are unobservable. Providing food and financial support, creating social norms and increasing trust are more effective in addressing specific barriers and fostering voluntary adherence. Where enforcement forms part of the strategy for policing COVID-19 regulations, rules must be clear and local responders must be given time and opportunity to plan their response as new rules are implemented. Research limitations/implications: This narrative review was limited to papers published in English and available either via the databases searched, or via reference searching; some relevant studies may therefore not have been identified. Practical implications: Findings inform an understanding of the impact of enforcement on adherence and facilitate the development of recommendations for increasing adherence to protective behaviours during COVID-19. Given the importance of public adherence, these recommendations are not only useful in the context of COVID-19 but also for future public health emergencies. Originality/value: This narrative review is the first to explore the circumstances under which enforcement can increase or reduce adherence with COVID-19 guidelines, generating recommendations for improved public adherence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Mike Eghosa Ogbeide

Abstract Myths associated with neonatal and natal teeth (NNT) differ across different countries and cultures, ranging from beliefs of a magnificent future at one end, to that of serious misfortune at the opposite end. In Nigeria, the beliefs reported on NNT have been mostly negative and erroneous, with consequential effects of varying degrees ranging from anxiety by the affected child‘s mother and other members of the family to infanticide contemplation. The beliefs surrounding NNT, oftentimes, are handed down from generation to generation, and they are held in high esteem in many families. These erroneous beliefs need to be dispelled and the accurate information regarding NNT need to be passed to the people for public health benefits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 377-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Stamatakis ◽  
Ulf Ekelund ◽  
Ding Ding ◽  
Mark Hamer ◽  
Adrian E Bauman ◽  
...  

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has been proposed as an ‘independent’ risk factor for chronic disease risk, attracting much research and media attention. Many countries have included generic, non-quantitative reductions in SB in their public health guidelines and calls for quantitative SB targets are increasing. The aim of this narrative review is to critically evaluate key evidence areas relating to the development of guidance on sitting for adults. We carried out a non-systematic narrative evidence synthesis across seven key areas: (1) definition of SB, (2) independence of sitting from physical activity, (3) use of television viewing as a proxy of sitting, (4) interpretation of SB evidence, (5) evidence on ‘sedentary breaks’, (6) evidence on objectively measured sedentary SB and mortality and (7) dose response of sitting and mortality/cardiovascular disease. Despite research progress, we still know little about the independent detrimental health effects of sitting, and the possibility that sitting is mostly the inverse of physical activity remains. Unresolved issues include an unclear definition, inconsistencies between mechanistic and epidemiological studies, over-reliance on surrogate outcomes, a very weak epidemiological evidence base to support the inclusion of ‘sedentary breaks’ in guidelines, reliance on self-reported sitting measures, and misinterpretation of data whereby methodologically inconsistent associations are claimed to be strong evidence. In conclusion, public health guidance requires a consistent evidence base but this is lacking for SB. The development of quantitative SB guidance, using an underdeveloped evidence base, is premature; any further recommendations for sedentary behaviour require development of the evidence base and refinement of the research paradigms used in the field.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-86
Author(s):  
Teymouri. F ◽  
Dabbagh Moghaddam. A ◽  
◽  

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 2189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shazina Saeed ◽  
Shamimul Hasan ◽  
SyedAnsar Ahmad ◽  
Rahnuma Masood

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 504-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika A. Ladha ◽  
Nadia Luca ◽  
Cora Constantinescu ◽  
Karen Naert ◽  
Michele L. Ramien

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) chilblains is a well-reported cutaneous pattern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Through this narrative review, we provide an evidence-based overview of idiopathic and secondary chilblains, distinguishing features of COVID-19 chilblains, and a systematic clinical approach to history, examination, investigations, and treatment. In the absence of cold or damp exposure, COVID-19 should be considered as a cause of acute chilblains. The timing of onset of COVID-19 chilblains relative to active SARS-CoV-2 viremia remains unclear. Patients with suspected COVID-19 chilblains should thus follow public health guidelines for COVID-19 testing and self-isolation.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e030597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky McCall ◽  
Laura Shallcross ◽  
Michael Wilson ◽  
Christopher Fuller ◽  
Andrew Hayward

IntroductionThere is a growing trend to use storytelling as a research tool to extract information and/or as an intervention to effect change in the public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (KAB) in relation to public health issues, primarily those with a strong element of disease prevention. However, evidence of its use in either or both capacities is limited. This protocol proposes a systematic narrative review of peer-reviewed, published literature on the use of storytelling as a research tool within the public health arena.Methods and analysisMedline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), Web of Science, Art and Humanities database (ProQuest), Scopus and Google Scholar will be searched for studies that look at the use of storytelling in the research of pressing current public health issues, for example, vaccinations, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and cancer screening. The review will synthesise evidence of how storytelling is used as a research tool to (a) gain insights into KAB and (b) to effect change in KAB when used as an intervention. Included studies will be selected according to carefully defined criteria relevant to public health issues of interest, and data from qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies will be extracted with a customised data extraction form. A narrative synthesis will be performed according to Economic and Social Research Council guidance from Popay, J, 2006.The study protocol follows the recommendations by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P).Ethics and disseminationFormal ethical approval is not required for this study, as no primary data will be collected. Dissemination will involve publishing results of this study in relevant peer-reviewed journal(s). Where possible, the study results will also be presented as posters or talks at relevant medical conferences and meetings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019124704


2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Mji ◽  
P. Chappell ◽  
S. Statham ◽  
N. Mlenzana ◽  
C. Goliath ◽  
...  

Evaluation of rehabilitation programmes is essentialin order to monitor its effectiveness and relevance. There is howevera need to consider policies when conducting evaluation researchin rehabilitation. The aim of this paper is to present the theoreticaland legislative underpinnings of rehabilitation in South Africa.A narrative review of national and international disability legislationand empirical research in context of rehabilitation was conducted.The findings of this review reveals that as a fluid construct, thediscourse of rehabilitation has been underpinned by the changingtheoretical and socio-political understandings of disability. This inturn has influenced various international and national health anddisability policies and legislations that oversee the implementation ofrehabilitation practice. Despite this, there has been little evaluationof public health rehabilitation services in context of these policies and legislations in South Africa. The fluidity of rehabilitationneed to be considered when conducting evaluation research in rehabilitation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document