Identifying occupational health hazards among healthcare providers and ancillary staff in Ghana: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionThe formation, modification and implementation of occupational health and safety policy for the Ghana healthcare industry hinge on data and reviews on occupational exposures. However, there is no synthesised review to speak to the issues of these occupational exposures. A scoping review on occupational exposures among the health workforce in Ghana will provide a broad overview of exposures, and can guide and assist in making decisions on occupational health issues relating to healthcare workers.Methods and analysisArksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology framework will guide the conduct of this scoping review. Primary research studies, government documents and other information on occupational exposures among healthcare workers published in the English language will be retrieved from databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO and Google scholar. A systematic search strategy will be employed to identify articles from 1 January 2010 until 30 November 2021. Also, grey literature sources in Ghana including government and tertiary institutions websites will be searched. A reference list of key studies and other available non-electronic materials will also be screened to identify relevant studies for inclusion. The review will consider studies that address prevalence, knowledge and predisposing factors of occupational exposures along with the use of occupational hazards control/preventive measures. After removal of duplicates, and title and abstract screening, relevant articles will be subjected to full-text analysis. The screening processes will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Data will then be extracted and presented in tabular form with a narrative to aid easy comprehension.Ethics and disseminationThis scoping review does not require ethical approval. The findings will be disseminated through publications, conference presentations and stakeholder meetings.

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Protocol for a scoping review study to identify occupational health hazards among healthcare providers and ancillary staff in Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-956533/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Apraku Tawiah ◽

Alberta Baffour-Awuah ◽

Emmanuel Appiah-Brempong ◽

Evans Afriyie-Gyawu

Keyword(s):

Occupational Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

English Language ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Occupational Exposures ◽

Reference List ◽

Other Information

Abstract Introduction: The formation, modification and implementation of occupational health and safety policy for the Ghana health care industry hinges on data and reviews on occupational exposures. However, there is no synthesized review to speak to the issues of these occupational exposures. A scoping review on occupational exposures among the health workforce in Ghana will provide a broad overview of exposures, and can guide and assist in making decisions on occupational health issues relating healthcare workers. Methods: The Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology framework will guide the conduct of this scoping review. Primary research studies, government documents and other information on occupational exposures among healthcare workers published in English language will be retrieved from databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and Google scholar. Also, grey literature sources in Ghana including government and tertiary institutions websites will be searched. Reference list of key studies will also be screened to identify relevant studies for inclusion. The review will consider studies that address prevalence, knowledge and predisposing factors of occupational exposures along with utilization of occupational hazards preventive measures. After initial removal of duplicates, title and abstract screening, relevant articles will be subjected to full text analysis. The screening processes will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Data will then be extracted and presented in tabular form with a narrative to aid easy comprehension. Ethics and dissemination: This scoping review sought to identify predominant occupational exposures among healthcare providers and ancillary workers as described in published and unpublished literature. In addressing the increase of occupational exposures among healthcare workforce in Ghana, this scoping review is intended to bring all the literature together and predict the areas of occupational exposures that needs attention and redress. The findings of the study will be disseminated through publications, conference presentations and stakeholder meetings.

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Facial protection for healthcare workers during pandemics: a scoping review

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002553 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

pp. e002553 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Laura R Garcia Godoy ◽

Amy E Jones ◽

Taylor N Anderson ◽

Cameron L Fisher ◽

Kylie M L Seeley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

English Language ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Surgical Masks ◽

Inpatient Settings ◽

N95 Respirators ◽

The Impact ◽

Medical Grade

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, requiring mask reuse or improvisation. We provide a review of medical-grade facial protection (surgical masks, N95 respirators and face shields) for healthcare workers, the safety and efficacy of decontamination methods, and the utility of alternative strategies in emergency shortages or resource-scarce settings.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of PubMed and grey literature related to facial protection and potential adaptation strategies in the setting of PPE shortages (January 2000 to March 2020). Limitations included few COVID-19-specific studies and exclusion of non-English language articles. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the evidence based on relevant healthcare settings to increase practical utility in decision-making.ResultsWe retrieved 5462 peer-reviewed articles and 41 grey literature records. In total, we included 67 records which met inclusion criteria. Compared with surgical masks, N95 respirators perform better in laboratory testing, may provide superior protection in inpatient settings and perform equivalently in outpatient settings. Surgical mask and N95 respirator conservation strategies include extended use, reuse or decontamination, but these strategies may result in inferior protection. Limited evidence suggests that reused and improvised masks should be used when medical-grade protection is unavailable.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to critical shortages of medical-grade PPE. Alternative forms of facial protection offer inferior protection. More robust evidence is required on different types of medical-grade facial protection. As research on COVID-19 advances, investigators should continue to examine the impact on alternatives of medical-grade facial protection.

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Sex and Gender in Research on Healthcare Workers in Conflict Settings: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124331 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4331

Author(s):

Rima R. Habib ◽

Dana A. Halwani ◽

Diana Mikati ◽

Layal Hneiny

Keyword(s):

Occupational Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Sex And Gender ◽

Conflict Zones ◽

Health Literature ◽

Conflict Settings ◽

And Gender

The occupational health literature has established that sex and gender are associated with all dimensions of the workplace. Sex and/or gender (sex/gender) factors play an important role in shaping the experiences, exposures, and health outcomes of male and female healthcare providers working in war and conflict settings. This study aims to (1) assess how sex/gender is considered in the occupational health literature on healthcare workers in conflict settings, and (2) identify the gaps in incorporating sex/gender concepts in this literature. A scoping review was carried out and nine electronic databases were searched using a comprehensive search strategy. Two reviewers screened the titles/abstracts and full-texts of the studies using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key information was extracted from the studies and four themes were identified. Of 7679 identified records, 47 were included for final review. The findings underlined the harsh working conditions of healthcare workers practicing in conflict zones and showed sex/gender similarities and differences in experiences, exposures and health outcomes. This review revealed a dearth of articles with adequate consideration of sex/gender in the study design. Sex/gender-sensitive research in occupational health is necessary to develop effective occupational health and safety policies to protect men and women healthcare workers in conflict settings.

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A scoping review of registry captured indicators for evaluating quality of critical care in ICU

Journal of Intensive Care ◽

10.1186/s40560-021-00556-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Issrah Jawad ◽

Sumayyah Rashan ◽

Chathurani Sigera ◽

Jorge Salluh ◽

Arjen M. Dondorp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critical Care ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Health Care Quality ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Patient Reported Outcome ◽

Care Quality ◽

Patient Reported

Abstract Background Excess morbidity and mortality following critical illness is increasingly attributed to potentially avoidable complications occurring as a result of complex ICU management (Berenholtz et al., J Crit Care 17:1-2, 2002; De Vos et al., J Crit Care 22:267-74, 2007; Zimmerman J Crit Care 1:12-5, 2002). Routine measurement of quality indicators (QIs) through an Electronic Health Record (EHR) or registries are increasingly used to benchmark care and evaluate improvement interventions. However, existing indicators of quality for intensive care are derived almost exclusively from relatively narrow subsets of ICU patients from high-income healthcare systems. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically review the literature on QIs for evaluating critical care, identify QIs, map their definitions, evidence base, and describe the variances in measurement, and both the reported advantages and challenges of implementation. Method We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane libraries from the earliest available date through to January 2019. To increase the sensitivity of the search, grey literature and reference lists were reviewed. Minimum inclusion criteria were a description of one or more QIs designed to evaluate care for patients in ICU captured through a registry platform or EHR adapted for quality of care surveillance. Results The search identified 4780 citations. Review of abstracts led to retrieval of 276 full-text articles, of which 123 articles were accepted. Fifty-one unique QIs in ICU were classified using the three components of health care quality proposed by the High Quality Health Systems (HQSS) framework. Adverse events including hospital acquired infections (13.7%), hospital processes (54.9%), and outcomes (31.4%) were the most common QIs identified. Patient reported outcome QIs accounted for less than 6%. Barriers to the implementation of QIs were described in 35.7% of articles and divided into operational barriers (51%) and acceptability barriers (49%). Conclusions Despite the complexity and risk associated with ICU care, there are only a small number of operational indicators used. Future selection of QIs would benefit from a stakeholder-driven approach, whereby the values of patients and communities and the priorities for actionable improvement as perceived by healthcare providers are prioritized and include greater focus on measuring discriminable processes of care.

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Experiences of healthcare workers displaced by conflict: lessons from past conflicts and implications

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.308 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

U Moqeem ◽

O Mukhtar ◽

A Abbara ◽

S Jabbour ◽

M Abouzeid

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

English Language ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Host Countries ◽

Conflict Zones ◽

Post Conflict ◽

Open Coding ◽

Support Mechanisms ◽

The Individual ◽

Systemic Support

Abstract Background Conflicts cause mass displacement, including of healthcare workers (HCWs). Understanding experiences of HCWs over the displacement trajectory, from push factors out of conflict zones, to barriers and facilitators in transit and host countries, is key to developing support mechanisms and informing policy discussions regarding return and reintegration. Methodology We systematically reviewed 6 academic databases and grey literature using combined search terms for HCWs, displacement, conflict, and experiences to identify English-language literature documenting personal or professional experiences of HCWs displaced by conflict, published between 1945 to 2020. Open coding and thematic analysis were used to identify emerging themes. Quality appraisal was conducted. Results 25 publications from academic journals, snowballed references, and grey literature from 10 geographical contexts and various types of HCW met inclusion criteria, many from conflicts in the Middle-East. 5 themes emerged: Conflict drives displacement: HCWs fled due to direct violence and deteriorating working conditions caused by increased workload, depleting resources, workforce attrition and attacks on healthcare. Giving back: Refugee HCWs were determined to continue working but had to do so informally or by working with humanitarian agencies. Personal and professional integration in host countries: refugee HCWs overcame barriers to relicense after which they reported disadvantage in job applications due to professional gaps and discrimination; many ended up working under-qualified jobs. Psychological toll on HCWs was pronounced. Prospects on return: HCWs desired to return to their home countries but feared political instability and violence. Conclusions Policies which support HCW retention during conflict, integration into host health systems, and encourage return post-conflict must be implemented. Further research is required to understand the individual and systemic support mechanisms required. Key messages Displaced HCWs experience many personal and professional challenges. Policies that support HCWs across the displacement trajectory and support return and post-conflict system rebuilding are required.

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Irritant-Induced Chronic Cough Triggers: A Scoping Review and Clinical Checklist

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00362 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-31

Author(s):

Mary J. Sandage ◽

Elizabeth S. Ostwalt ◽

Lauren H. Allison ◽

Grace M. Cutchin ◽

Mariah E. Morton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Full Text ◽

Chronic Cough ◽

English Language ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Occupational Exposures ◽

Unique Contribution ◽

International Scope ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

Full Text Review

Purpose The primary aim of this review was to identify environmental irritants known to trigger chronic cough through the life span and develop a comprehensive clinically useful irritant checklist. Method A scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews, checklist, and explanation. English-language, full-text resources were identified through Medline, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Results A total of 1,072 sources were retrieved; of these, 109 were duplicates. Titles of abstracts of 963 articles were screened, with 295 selected for full-text review. Using the exclusion and inclusion criteria listed, 236 articles were considered eligible and 214 different triggers were identified. Triggers were identified from North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Occupational exposures were also delineated. Conclusions A clinically useful checklist of both frequently encountered triggers and idiosyncratic or rare triggers was developed. The clinical checklist provides a unique contribution to streamline and standardize clinical assessment of irritant-induced chronic cough. The international scope of this review extends the usefulness of the clinical checklist to clinicians on most continents.

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Predictors of discharge destination from acute care in patients with traumatic brain injury

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016694 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. e016694 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sareh Zarshenas ◽

Laetitia Tam ◽

Angela Colantonio ◽

Seyed Mohammad Alavinia ◽

Nora Cullen

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Acute Care ◽

English Language ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Trial Registration ◽

Future Research ◽

Reference List ◽

Registration Number

IntroductionMany studies have assessed the predictors of morbidity/mortality of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in acute care. However, with the increasing rate of survival after TBI, more attention has been given to discharge destinations from acute care as an important measure of clinical priorities. This study describes the design of a systematic review compiling and synthesising studies on the prognostic factors of discharge settings from acute care in patients with TBI.Methods and analysisThis systematic review will be conducted on peer-reviewed studies using seven databases including Medline/Medline in-Process, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Supplemental PubMed. The reference list of selected articles and Google Scholar will also be reviewed to determine other relevant articles. This study will include all English language observational studies that focus on adult patients with TBI in acute care settings. The quality of articles will be assessed by the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool.Ethics and disseminationThe results of this review will provide evidence that may guide healthcare providers in making more informed and timely discharge decisions to the next level of care for patient with TBI. Also, this study will provide valuable information to address the gaps in knowledge for future research.Trial registration numberTrial registration number (PROSPERO) is CRD42016033046.

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What Are the Client, Organisational and Employee-Related Outcomes of High Quality Leadership in the Allied Health Professions? A scoping review.

Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management ◽

10.24083/apjhm.v14i2.257 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 19-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Janice McKeever ◽

Ted Brown

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Allied Health ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Reference List ◽

High Quality ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Consumer Expectation ◽

Professional Groups ◽

Modern Health Care

Background: Leadership is viewed as the panacea the complex problems in modern health care where chronic disease, contracting budgets and rising consumer expectation are challenging care provision. As the second largest workforce in Australia, Allied Health Professionals (AHP) are core contributors to health teams however they are largely absent from leadership positions and there is little evidence of their impact on client outcomes. Aim: A scoping review was carried out to synthesise evidence on the client, organisational and employee-related outcomes of high quality leadership in Allied Health. Method: A search of grey literature, peer and non-peer reviewed literature was undertaken using Embase, Emcare, SCOPUS and Psychinfo from 2010-2017. Data were sourced from journals, government reports, conference presentations and other grey literature. The reference list of key articles were hand searched for relevant research. Results: A total of 5880 articles were identified and after screening 35 articles were included for in depth review. Leadership contributed towards positive outcomes in all three domains and had influence across professional groups and services. Leaders are highly valued and respected by their teams. Allied Health leaders did not feature in any of the articles and AHP were the focus of only seven studies. The majority of articles were conference papers or case reviews that provided little robust data making it difficult to draw substantive conclusions on the outcome of AHP leadership. Conclusion: There was a lack of robust data specific to AHP leaders. Future research should attempt to gather evidence of the outcomes of AHP leadership through qualitative and quantitative means to substantiate the anecdotal evidence for high quality AHP leaders.

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Occupational Health and Safety of Immigrant Workers in Italy and Spain: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16224416 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (22) ◽

pp. 4416 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Cecilia Arici ◽

Elena Ronda-Pérez ◽

Tishad Tamhid ◽

Katsiaryna Absekava ◽

Stefano Porru

Keyword(s):

Occupational Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Access To Health Care ◽

Occupational Injuries ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Occupational Health And Safety ◽

Warning Signs ◽

Immigrant Workers ◽

Quantitative Methodology ◽

Occupational Risk Factors

The main aim of the present study was to summarize the available literature on the topic of occupational health and safety (OH&S) among immigrant workers (IMWs) in Italy and Spain. We conducted a scoping review, searching Medline, Social Sciences Citation Index, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, SciELO, and EMBASE for peer-reviewed articles, published in English, Italian, or Spanish, between 1999–2018. 34 studies were included, 28 with quantitative methodology and 6 with qualitative. Main findings were that, compared to natives, IMWs in Italy and Spain showed higher prevalence of low-skilled jobs and of perceived discrimination at work; higher physical demands, poorer environmental working conditions, and more exposure to occupational risks (e.g., ergonomic and psychosocial hazards); a greater risk of occupational injuries; worse general and mental health; and a plausible worsening of their health status, especially in Spain, as a result of the economic crisis. The findings of the present scoping review constitute warning signs that indicate the need for a holistic global response to ensure that adverse OH&S outcomes among IMWs workers are improved and that equitable access to health care is guaranteed. Such a response will require a concrete and evidence-based approach to prevent and monitor occupational risk factors and associated outcomes in the workplaces.

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Mapping evidence on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in low-and-middle-income countries: scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-019-1203-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Joyce T. Shatilwe ◽

Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Full Text ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Access To Healthcare ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Future Research ◽

Reference List ◽

Women Of Reproductive Age ◽

Healthcare Information

Abstract Background Research shows that there are inadequate interventions in resource-limited settings that could enable women of reproductive age to access and use health services in those settings. The main objective of this scoping review is to map the evidence on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in LMICs. Method and analysis The primary search will include Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, MEDLINE with full text, MEDLINE), Emerald, Embase, CDSR, PsycINFO, published and peer review journals, organisational projects, conference papers, reference list, grey literature sources, as well as reports related to this objective will be included in the study. Identified keywords will be used to search articles from the studies. The articles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers (JS and TPMT). Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be considered to guide the screening. A thematic content analysis will be used to present the narrative account of the reviews, using NVivo computer software (version 11). Discussions The scoping review will focus on women of reproductive age in LMICs. We anticipate finding relevant literature on the interventions aimed at accessing health care services in LMICs. The study findings will help reveal research gaps to guide future research. Scoping review registration Not registered with PROSPERO (not needed). Protocol and registration This scoping review was not registered.

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