scholarly journals Neighbourhood effects on obesity: scoping review of time-varying outcomes and exposures in longitudinal designs

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e034690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Letarte ◽  
Sonia Pomerleau ◽  
André Tchernof ◽  
Laurent Biertho ◽  
Edward Owen D Waygood ◽  
...  

Context and objectivesNeighbourhood effect research on obesity took off in the early 2000s and was composed of mostly cross-sectional observational studies interested in various characteristics of the built environment and the socioeconomic environment. To limit biases related to self-selection and life course exposures, many researchers apply longitudinal designs in their studies. Until now, no review has specifically and exclusively examined longitudinal studies and the specific designs of these studies. In this review, we intend to answer the following research question: how are the temporal measurements of contextual exposure and obesity outcomes integrated into longitudinal studies that explore how neighbourhood-level built and socioeconomic environments impact adult obesity?DesignA systematic search strategy was designed to address the research question. The search was performed in Embase, Web of Science and PubMed, targeting scientific papers published before 1 January 2018. The eligible studies reported results on adults, included exposure that was limited to neighbourhood characteristics at the submunicipal level, included an outcome limited to obesity proxies, and reported a design with at least two exposure measurements or two outcome measurements.ResultsThis scoping review identified 66 studies that fit the eligibility criteria. A wide variety of neighbourhood characteristics were also measured, making it difficult to draw general conclusions about associations between neighbourhood exposure and obesity. We applied a typology that classified studies by whether exposure and outcome were measured as varying or fixed. Using this typology, we found that 32 studies reported both neighbourhood exposure and obesity outcomes that were varying in time; 28 reported varying outcomes but fixed exposures; and 6 had fixed outcomes and varying exposures.ConclusionOur typology illustrates the variety of longitudinal designs that were used in the selected studies. In the light of our results, we make recommendations on how to better report longitudinal designs and facilitate comparisons between studies.

Author(s):  
Hui Foh Foong ◽  
Sook Yee Lim ◽  
Roshanim Koris ◽  
Sharifah Azizah Haron

Time-use of older adults can be different than in earlier life, especially during the transition from pre- to post-retirement or after experiencing major life events, and the changes could affect their mental health. However, the extent and nature of such research in gerontology have not been examined to date. Therefore, this scoping review sought to map the literature on time-use and mental health in the older population to examine the extent and nature of those research activities. A scoping review was conducted using four databases—PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and EMBASE according to PRISMA guidelines. Data were extracted using a pretested tool to develop a descriptive analysis and thematic summary. A total of 11 articles met the eligibility criteria. Seven out of 11 studies involved cross-sectional design, while the remainder were longitudinal studies. The longitudinal studies mainly were secondary data analysis. Time-use data were mainly collected using daily diaries, and the most common mental health outcome included was depression. Only two studies did not evaluate the direct relationship between time-use and mental health. Our review has revealed studies evaluating time-use and mental health in older adults. Limitations of review and recommendations for future studies are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Röscher ◽  
Jacqueline M. van Wyk

Abstract Background Interventions to treat early prostate cancer (PCa) can leave men with debilitating sexual side effects. The cluster of side effects referred to as the neglected sexual side effects (NSSE) may remain permanent, undiagnosed and untreated because men are hesitant to disclose them. Questionnaires offer a discreet way into the discussion, subsequent diagnosis and possible treatment of the NSSE. This study will be conducted to map the evidence about the prevalence of the neglected sexual side effects (NSSE) after PCa treatment, and use of questionnaires in its diagnosis and screening. Methods This systematic scoping review will involve searching the following electronic databases: PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Following title searching, two-independent reviewers will conduct screening of abstracts and full articles. Eligibility criteria will guide the screenings. Data will be extracted from the included studies, and the emerging themes will be analysed. The review team will analyse the implications of the findings concerning the research question and aim of the study. The mixed method appraisal tool (MMAT) will be employed for quality appraisal of included studies. Discussion We anticipate finding a number of studies that describe the prevalence of NSSE after early PCa treatment and that report on using questionnaires to screen for the presence of symptoms including orgasm-associated incontinence, urinary incontinence during sexual stimulation, altered perceptions of orgasm, orgasm associated pain, penile shortening and penile deformity. The study findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal, peer presentations and presentations at relevant conferences.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. e036884
Author(s):  
Joseph K Nuamah ◽  
Karthik Adapa ◽  
Lukasz Mazur

IntroductionEffective electronic health record (EHR)-based training interventions facilitate improved EHR use for healthcare providers. One such training intervention is simulation-based training that emphasises learning actual tasks through experimentation in a risk-free environment without negative patient outcomes. EHR-specific simulation-based training can be employed to improve EHR use, thereby enhancing healthcare providers’ skills and behaviours. Despite the potential advantages of this type of training, no study has identified and mapped the available evidence. To fill that gap, this scoping review will synthesise the current state of literature on EHR simulation-based training.Methods and analysisThe Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework will be employed. Three databases (PubMed, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) will be searched for published articles. ProQuest and Google Scholar will be searched to identify unpublished articles. Databases will be searched from inception to 29 January 2020. Only articles written in English, randomised control trials, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and case-control studies will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, they will review full texts to determine articles for final inclusion. Citation chaining will be conducted to manually screen references of all included studies to identify additional studies not found by the search. A data abstraction form with relevant characteristics will be developed to help address the research question. Descriptive numerical analysis will be used to describe characteristics of included studies. Based on the extracted data, research evidence of EHR simulation-based training will be synthesised.Ethics and disseminationSince no primary data will be collected, there will be no formal ethical review. Research findings will be disseminated through publications, presentations and meetings with relevant stakeholders.


Author(s):  
Ran Bao ◽  
Si-Tong Chen ◽  
Yanlei Wang ◽  
Jun Xu ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
...  

Background: The negative effects of sedentary behavior (SB) on public health have been extensively documented. A large number of studies have demonstrated that high prevalence of SB is a critical factor of all-cause mortality. Globally, the frequency of SB research has continued to rise, but little is known about SB in the Chinese population. Therefore, this review was conducted to scope the research situation and to fill the gaps related to the effects of SB in the Chinese population. Methods: Using a scoping review based on York methodology, a comprehensive search of published journal articles and grey literature was carried out through 12 databases. The literature research was conducted by two authors in July 2019, and included journal articles that targeted on the Chinese population were published between 1999 and 2019. The two authors screened the records independently and included those research topics related to SB in the Chinese population. Results: The number of included studies increased from 1 to 29 per year during the analyzed period, during which, a remarkable climb happened from 8 in 2013 to 19 in July 2019. Out of the 1303 screened studies, a total of 162 studies (81 English and 81 Chinese journal articles) met the inclusion criteria in this review. Most of the included studies (66.0%) reported the overall estimated prevalence of SB, in which, 43.2% of studies reported the average time of SB, and 40.0% of studies reported the cutoff point of SB. Besides this, 54.9% and 23.5% of studies focused on the outcomes and correlates/determinants of SB, and the proportions of studies based on testing the validation of measurement tools and on interventions were 3.7% and 4.9%, respectively. Nearly all of the reviewed articles used data from cross-sectional studies (75.9%) and longitudinal studies (13.6%), while intervention trials are less developed. The majority of the studies (64.8%) used self-reported surveys, and only 3.7% studies used device-based measurement tools. Furthermore, 35.8% of the included studies were focused on children and adolescents, while only a few studies investigated infants/toddlers and older adults. Both female and male were examined in most studies, and non-clinical populations were investigated in the context of SB in a relatively large number of studies. Conclusions: The number of research articles on SB in the Chinese population published per year has increased year by year, indicating a growing interest in this research area. More studies using population subgroup samples are needed, particularly among infants/toddlers, older adults, and clinical populations. To provide stronger evidence of the determinants and outcomes of SB, longitudinal studies using device-based measures of SB are required.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 911-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ather Nawaz ◽  
Nina Skjæret ◽  
Jorunn Lægdheim Helbostad ◽  
Beatrix Vereijken ◽  
Elisabeth Boulton ◽  
...  

Serious games (exergames) have the potential to be effective for postural balance and increasing muscle strength. Several games have been developed to increase physical fitness and balance among older adults. However, it is unclear to which degree usability and acceptability of exergames for older adults have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to summarize usability evaluation and acceptability of studies in older adults. We conducted a scoping review on studies focusing on usability of exergames for older adults. The result shows that older adults consider usability and acceptability of exercise video games good. The review shows that longitudinal studies mainly use off-the-shelf exergame and evaluated game effectiveness and acceptability, whereas cross-sectional studies focus on interactional experience. Studies varied in their approaches to measure usability and acceptability of exergames for older adults. There is a need for a systematic developmental approach to involve older adults in development of exergames for longitudinal studies.


Author(s):  
Emily Erlenbach ◽  
Edward McAuley ◽  
Neha P Gothe

Abstract Background The physical and cognitive benefits of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) for adults have been well documented. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the independent health benefits of light-intensity physical activity (LPA). This research has primarily focused on the relationship between LPA and morbidity and mortality risk, with few studies investigating cognitive associations. The purpose of this scoping review was to catalog existing evidence on the association between device-based or technologically measured LPA and cognition among adults, identify trends in the literature, and recommend future areas for research. Methods Six electronic databases were searched between January and June 2020. Forty published studies met the inclusion criteria, which included both healthy and clinical young and older adult populations. Among the 40 articles were 14 acute exercise studies, 4 randomized control trials (RCTs), 18 cross-sectional studies, and 4 longitudinal studies. Results 7/14 (50%) acute, 3/4 (75%) RCT, 10/18 (56%) cross-sectional, and 2/4 (50%) longitudinal studies reported a significant, positive relationship between LPA and one or more cognitive outcomes. These heterogeneous findings can largely be attributed to the diverse study designs and populations, as well as the numerous assessments used to test the cognitive domains. Conclusion These collective findings suggest LPA may be a potential lifestyle intervention to improve cognition across adulthood. However, the inconsistent approaches used among these studies suggest a more concerted, unified scientific approach is needed to further understand the LPA-cognition relationship.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rania Mansour ◽  
Hady Naal ◽  
Tarek Kishawi ◽  
Nassim El Achi ◽  
Layal Hneiny ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS) have a strong need to improve the capacity of local health workers to conduct health research in order to improve health policy and health outcomes. Health research capacity building (HRCB) programmes are ideal to equip health workers with the needed skills and knowledge to design and lead health-related research initiatives. The study aimed to review the characteristics of HRCB studies in FCASs in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and to recommend future directions for the field. Methods We conducted a scoping review and searched four databases for peer-reviewed articles that reported an HRCB initiative targeting health workers in a FCAS and published after 2010. Commentaries and editorials, cross-sectional studies, presentations, and interventions that did not have a capacity building component were excluded. Data on bibliographies of the studies and HRCB interventions and their outcomes were extracted. A descriptive approach was used to report the data, and a thematic approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results Out of 8822 articles, a total of 20 were included based on the eligibility criteria. Most of the initiatives centred around topics of health research methodology (70%), targeted an individual-level capacity building angle (95%), and were delivered in university or hospital settings (75%). Ten themes were identified and grouped into three categories. Significant challenges revolved around the lack of local research culture, shortages in logistic capability, interpersonal difficulties, and limited assessment and evaluation of HRCB programmes. Strengths of HRCB interventions included being locally driven, incorporating interactive pedagogies, and promoting multidisciplinary and holistic training. Common recommendations covered by the studies included opportunities to improve the content, logistics, and overarching structural components of HRCB initiatives. Conclusion Our findings have important implications on health research policy and related capacity building efforts. Importantly, FCASs should prioritize (1) funding HRCB efforts, (2) strengthening equitable international, regional, and national partnerships, (3) delivering locally led HRCB programmes, (4) ensuring long-term evaluations and implementing programmes at multiple levels of the healthcare system, and (5) adopting engaging and interactive approaches.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e019311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peer-Benedikt Vincent Bussiek ◽  
Chiara De Poli ◽  
Gwyn Bevan

IntroductionObesity has become one of the biggest public health problems of the 21st century. Prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has increased dramatically worldwide over the last 20 years, and this trend is expected to continue. Obesity in childhood is concerning as it predicts obesity in adulthood, a common risk factor for a wide array of chronic diseases and poor health outcomes. Obesity is preventable and a vast but fragmented body of evidence on preventative interventions is now available. This article outlines the protocol for a scoping review of published literature reviews on interventions to prevent obesity in children. The scoping review addresses the broad research question ‘What is the evidence on interventions to prevent childhood obesity?’. It aims to give an overview of the various interventions available, understand those which are effective and identify barriers and facilitators to their effectiveness.Methods and analysisThe six-staged Arksey and O’Malley methodology framework is used to guide the scoping review process: following the definition of the research questions (stage 1); the eligibility criteria and search strategy are defined (stage 2); the study selection process based on the eligibility criteria identified will follow (stage 3); a framework developed for this review will then inform the extraction and charting of data from the included reviews (stage 4); results will be aggregated and summarised with criteria relevant for health professionals and policy-makers (stage 5); and the optional consultation (stage 6) exercise is not planned.Ethics and disseminationSince the scoping review methodology aims at synthetising information from available publications, this study does not require ethical approval. An article reporting the results of the scoping review will be submitted for publication to a scientific journal, presented at relevant conferences and disseminated as part of future workshops with professionals involved in obesity prevention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Hala M. Elkamash ◽  
Hatem M. Abuohashish

Objectives. This review documents published obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) cases with dental and oral conditions with potential impact on the dental procedure. The research question was, what are the psychiatric and behavioral features of people with OCD that might affect dental sessions? Methods. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration No. CRD42020212371). Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO) were screened for published clinical studies that report dental patients with obsessions or compulsions behaviors as identified by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Inclusion of the studies was performed according to the eligibility criteria. The quality evaluation was carried out using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. The results were qualitatively assessed for synthesis. Results. After elimination of duplication, 530 articles were screened, and 35 articles were evaluated for eligibility. 17 studies met the inclusion criteria (8 case reports, 5 cross-sectional studies, 1 longitudinal cohort study, and 3 case-control studies) and were included in the review. All case reports demonstrated symptoms of obsessions or compulsions such as fear of germs and contamination, aggressive thoughts, having things symmetric in perfect order, excessive cleaning or handwashing, repeatedly checking things, and compulsive counting. OCD-related behavior was assessed in the included clinical investigations using standardized protocols such as Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, 4-item Corah Dental Anxiety Scale, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and the Crown Crisp Experimental Index. Quality assessment of the 17 included articles revealed 14 articles with low risk of bias and 3 articles with moderate risk of bias. Conclusion. The reported OCD symptoms may implement psychological difficulties during dental procedures without affecting the outcome. Although there was no contraindication for planning or performing dental treatments for a patient with OCD, dental-related procedures and protocols might be modified for successful dental appointments.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Tavares ◽  
P. Vagos ◽  
A. Xavier

ABSTRACT Background: The identification of protection factors regarding older adults’ mental health is essential. Self-compassion, the capacity to be kind towards the self during challenging times, may be one such factor. Although still scarce, some research in this field has already been conducted with older adults. Our research question was the following: what is currently known about the role of self-compassion in the psychological (mal)adjustment of older adults? Objectives: To review any study designs, in any setting, where self-compassion and any indicators of psychological (mal)adjustment were assessed in participants aged ≥60 years. Design: A scoping review of English, Portuguese, and Spanish published and unpublished materials, using the EBSCOhost Research and PubMed databases and reference lists. Search terms included self-compassion, self compassion, older adults, elderly, seniors, and geriatrics. After screening and selection of the studies, we charted the relevant data. Results: Eleven published studies (2012–2018) were reviewed. Self-compassion was associated with, and a predictor of, diverse mental health indicators in older adults. Self-compassion was also associated with indicators of physical health, moderated the relationship between physical health indicators and mental health indicators, and mediated the relationship between diverse mental health indicators. Results were obtained with participants of different nationalities and age. All studies had a cross-sectional design, and most studies recruited well-functioning community residents. Conclusions: Self-compassion is beneficial for the psychological adjustment of older adults and may also benefit their biological functioning. Self-compassion seems particularly relevant for those experiencing more negative life events. Studies with more robust methodologies are needed in order to replicate these findings.


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