scholarly journals Community interventions with women’s groups to improve women’s and children’s health in India: a mixed-methods systematic review of effects, enablers and barriers

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. e003304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sapna Desai ◽  
Madhavi Misra ◽  
Aikantika Das ◽  
Roopal Jyoti Singh ◽  
Mrignyani Sehgal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Community Interventions ◽  
Women's Groups ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Women’S Groups

IntroductionIndia is home to over 6 million women’s groups, including self-help groups. There has been no evidence synthesis on whether and how such groups improve women’s and children’s health.MethodsWe did a mixed-methods systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies on women’s groups in India to examine effects on women and children’s health and to identify enablers and barriers to achieving outcomes. We searched 10 databases and included studies published in English from 2000 to 2019 measuring health knowledge, behaviours or outcomes. Our study population included adult women and children under 5 years. We appraised studies using standard risk of bias assessments. We compared intervention effects by level of community participation, scope of capability strengthening (individual, group or community), type of women’s group and social and behaviour change techniques employed. We synthesised quantitative and qualitative studies to identify barriers and enablers related to context, intervention design and implementation, and outcome characteristics.FindingsWe screened 21 380 studies and included 99: 19 randomised controlled trial reports, 25 quasi-experimental study reports and 55 non-experimental studies (27 quantitative and 28 qualitative). Experimental studies provided moderate-quality evidence that health interventions with women’s groups can improve perinatal practices, neonatal survival, immunisation rates and women’s and children’s dietary diversity, and help control vector-borne diseases. Evidence of positive effects was strongest for community mobilisation interventions that built communities’ capabilities and went beyond sharing information. Key enablers were inclusion of vulnerable community members, outcomes that could be reasonably expected to change through community interventions and intensity proportionate to ambition. Barriers included limited time or focus on health, outcomes not relevant to group members and health system constraints.ConclusionInterventions with women’s groups can improve women’s and children’s health in India. The most effective interventions go beyond using groups to disseminate health information and seek to build communities’ capabilities.Trial registration numberThe review was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42019130633.

scholarly journals Effectiveness and Safety of Aromatherapy in Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 273-297
Author(s):  
Becky Siu Yin Li ◽  
Carmen Wing Han Chan ◽  
Minjie Li ◽  
Irene Kit Yee Wong ◽  
Yvonne Hoi Un Yu
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Adherence Monitoring ◽  
Behavioral And Psychological Symptoms

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is the most prominent and distressing manifestation for older persons with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Aromatherapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in managing BPSD in various studies. However, previous studies and systematic reviews have obtained inconsistent findings, and a review of qualitative studies is yet to be conducted. <b><i>Method:</i></b> A mixed-methods systematic review with a convergent segregated approach was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy in improving the BPSD and quality of life (QoL) of PWD and in relieving the distress and burden of caregivers, as well as its safety for PWD. Both published and unpublished quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and Chinese between January 1996 and December 2020 were retrieved from 28 databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science, based on the prespecified criteria. The methodological quality was assessed by using critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative synthesis, qualitative synthesis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence were performed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 12 randomized controlled trials, 10 quasi-experimental studies, and 2 qualitative studies were included in the review. Some inconsistent findings regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing the severity of BPSD were observed. Some studies reported that aromatherapy significantly improved the QoL of PWD and relieved the distress and burden of caregivers, promoted a positive experience among caregivers, and had very low adverse effects on PWD (with aromatherapy inhalation reporting no adverse effects). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Aromatherapy, especially in the inhalation approach, could be a potentially safe and effective strategy for managing BPSD. However, more structuralized and comparable studies with sufficient sample size, adherence monitoring, and sound theoretical basis could be conducted to obtain conclusive findings.

scholarly journals Promoting women’s and children’s health through community groups in low-income and middle-income countries: a mixed-methods systematic review of mechanisms, enablers and barriers

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. e001972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Gram ◽  
Adam Fitchett ◽  
Asma Ashraf ◽  
Nayreen Daruwalla ◽  
David Osrin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Community Mobilisation ◽  
Community Groups ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Barriers To Health

IntroductionCommunity mobilisation through group activities has been used to improve women’s and children’s health in a range of low-income and middle-income contexts, but the mechanisms through which it works deserve greater consideration. We did a mixed-methods systematic review of mechanisms, enablers and barriers to the promotion of women’s and children’s health in community mobilisation interventions.MethodsWe searched for theoretical and empirical peer-reviewed articles between January 2000 and November 2018. First, we extracted and collated proposed mechanisms, enablers and barriers into categories. Second, we extracted and synthesised evidence for them using narrative synthesis. We assessed risk of bias with adapted Downs and Black and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists. We assigned confidence grades to each proposed mechanism, enabler and barrier.Results78 articles met the inclusion criteria, of which 39 described interventions based on a participatory group education model, 19 described community-led structural interventions to promote sexual health in marginalised populations and 20 concerned other types of intervention or multiple interventions at once. We did not have high confidence in any mechanism, enabler or barrier. Two out of 15 proposed mechanisms and 10 out of 12 proposed enablers and barriers reached medium confidence. A few studies provided direct evidence relating proposed mechanisms, enablers or barriers to health behaviours or health outcomes. Only two studies presented mediation or interaction analysis for a proposed mechanism, enabler or barrier.ConclusionWe uncovered multiple proposed mechanisms, enablers and barriers to health promotion through community groups, but much work remains to provide a robust evidence base for proposed mechanisms, enablers and barriers.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018093695.

scholarly journals Blending Indigenous Sharing Circle and Western Focus Group Methodologies for the Study of Indigenous Children’s Health: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692110151
Author(s):  
Sarah C. Hunt ◽  
Nancy L. Young
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Community Advisory Board ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sharing Circles

The primary objective of this systematic review was to investigate how Western focus groups and Indigenous sharing circles have been blended for the study of Indigenous children’s health. The secondary objective of this study was to propose recommendations for adapting focus groups to include elements of sharing circles. This systematic review was conducted using a systematic search of original research articles published between 2009 and 2020 that (a) focused on North American Indigenous children’s health and (b) used group-based qualitative methods including focus groups and sharing circles. Each of the articles was screened for relevance and quality. The methods sections were reviewed, subjected to qualitative content analysis, and codes were analyzed to identify common themes and synthesize results. We identified 29 articles, most of which followed a community-based participatory research approach. In these publications, most included a community advisory board, ethics approval was obtained, and in some cases, community members were included as research assistants. There was evidence that sharing circles and focus group methods had been blended in the recent Indigenous children’s health literature. This was particularly apparent in the authors’ approaches to recruitment, location, facilitation techniques, question format and reimbursement. Several groups have published results that describe approaches that successfully incorporated aspects of Indigenous sharing circles into Western focus groups, thus establishing a research method that is culturally safe and appropriate for the study of Indigenous children’s health.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of pretend medical play in improving children’s health outcomes and well-being: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e041506
Author(s):  
Aneesa Abdul Rashid ◽  
Ai Theng Cheong ◽  
Ranita Hisham ◽  
Nurainul Hana Shamsuddin ◽  
Dalila Roslan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Anxiety Levels

BackgroundThe healthcare setting is stressful for many people, especially children. Efforts are needed to mitigate children’s healthcare-related anxiety. Medical play using the Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) concept can expose children to healthcare settings and help them develop positive experiences in these settings. In this role-playing game, children bring their soft toys and act as parents to the ‘sick’ teddies in a pretend hospital or clinic play setting. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of the TBH in improving children’s health outcomes and well-being.MethodsWe searched the reference lists of included studies from four electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Google Scholar) from inception until November 2020. We included pre-post, quasiexperimental and case–control studies, as well as randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that discussed medical play using the TBH concept as an intervention. Studies that involved sick patients and used interventions unlike the TBH were excluded. We assessed the quality of the included studies using the Cochrane Collaboration’s ‘Risk of bias’ tool.ResultsTen studies were included in this systematic review. Five specifically investigated the TBH method, while the others involved the same concept of medical play. Only three studies were RCTs. All of the studies report more than one outcome—mostly positive outcomes. Two report lower anxiety levels after intervention. Two found better healthcare knowledge, with one reporting increased feelings of happiness regarding visiting a doctor. Two studies found no change in anxiety or feelings, while another two found increased levels of fear and lowered mood after the medical play (which involved real medical equipment).ConclusionsThe practice of TBH has mostly positive outcomes, with lower anxiety levels and improved healthcare knowledge. Its effectiveness should be verified in future studies using a more robust methodology.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019106355.

Nature Contact and Children's Health: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amber L. Fyfe-Johnson ◽  
Edgar K. Marcuse ◽  
Pooja Tandon ◽  
Marnie Hazlehurst ◽  
Gregory N. Bratman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Nature Contact

The impact of heat waves on children’s health: a systematic review

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Xu ◽  
Perry E. Sheffield ◽  
Hong Su ◽  
Xiaoyu Wang ◽  
Yan Bi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Effects of integrated economic and health interventions with women’s groups on health-related knowledge, behaviours and outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e046856
Author(s):  
Sapna Desai ◽  
Kala M Mehta ◽  
Roopal Jyoti Singh ◽  
Allie K Westley ◽  
Osasuyi Dirisu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Women's Groups ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Women’S Groups ◽  
Health Related

IntroductionEconomic groups, such as microfinance or self-help groups are widely implemented in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Women’s groups are voluntary groups, which aim to improve the well-being of members through activities, such as joint savings, credit, livelihoods development and/or health activities. Health interventions are increasingly added on to existing women’s economic groups as a public health intervention for women and their families. Here, we present the protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review we will conduct of the evidence on integrated economic and health interventions on women’s groups to assess whether and how they improve health-related knowledge, behaviour and outcomes in LMICs.Methods and analysisWe will search seven electronic databases for published literature, along with manual searches and consultation. The review will include (1) randomised trials and non-randomised quasiexperimental studies of intervention effects of integrated economic and health interventions delivered through women’s groups in LMICs, and (2) sibling studies that examine factors related to intervention content, context, implementation processes and costs. We will appraise risk of bias and study quality using standard tools. High and moderate quality studies will be grouped by health domain and synthesised without meta-analysis. Qualitative evidence will be thematically synthesised and integrated into the quantitative synthesis using a matrix approach.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol was reviewed and deemed exempt by the institutional review board at the American Institutes for Research. Findings will be shared through peer-reviewed publication and disseminated with programme implementers and policymakers engaged with women’s groups.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020199998.

scholarly journals Impact of Coal-fired Power Plant Emissions on Children’s Health: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Amster ◽  
Clara Lew Levy
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcome ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Power Plant Emissions ◽  
Plant Emissions

Coal-based energy production is the most utilized method of electricity production worldwide and releases the highest concentration of gaseous, particulate, and metallic pollutants. This article aims to systematically review the public health impact of coal-fired power plant emissions on children’s health. PubMed, Web of Science, and Toxline databases were queried for the past 20 years. Inclusion criteria included original scientific articles with (a) coal-fired power plant exposure assessment, (b) at least one primary pediatric health outcome, and (c) assessment of potential sources of confounding and bias. Only morbidity and mortality studies were included; economic analysis and risk assessment studies without a primary health outcome were not included. Of 513 articles initially retrieved, 17 epidemiological articles were included in the final systematic review after screening and eligibility. The articles reviewed showed a statistically significant adverse effect on pediatric neurodevelopment; birth weight and pediatric respiratory morbidity was associated with exposure to coal-fired power plant emissions, primarily particulate matter and polyaromatic hydrocarbon exposure. There is a lack of consistency of exposure assessment and inadequate control of significant potential confounders such as social economic status. Future research should focus on improving exposure assessment models with an emphasis on source-apportionment and geographic information system methods to model power plant-specific emissions.

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