Promoting Healthy Food Access and Nutrition in Primary Care: A Systematic Scoping Review of Food Prescription Programs

Objective To conduct a scoping review to synthesize evidence on food prescription programs. Data Source A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted using key words related to setting, interventions, and outcomes. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Publications were eligible if they reported food prescription administered by a health care practitioner (HCP) with the explicit aim of improving healthy food access and consumption, food security (FS), or health. Data Extraction A data charting form was used to extract relevant details on intervention characteristics, study methodology, and key findings. Data Synthesis Study and intervention characteristics were summarized. We undertook a thematic analysis to identify and report on themes. A critical appraisal of study quality was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results A total of 6145 abstracts were screened and 23 manuscripts were included in the review. Food prescriptions may improve fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce food insecurity (FI). Evidence for impacts on diet-related health outcomes is limited and mixed. The overall quality of included studies was weak. Addressing barriers such as stigma, transportation, and poor nutrition literacy may increase utilization of food prescriptions. Conclusion Food prescriptions are a promising health care intervention. There is a need for rigorous studies that incorporate larger sample sizes, control groups, and validated assessments of dietary intake, food security, and health.

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Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Dentistry: A Scoping Review

Journal of Dental Research ◽

10.1177/00220345211013808 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002203452110138

Author(s):

C.M. Mörch ◽

S. Atsu ◽

W. Cai ◽

X. Li ◽

S.A. Madathil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Data Sets ◽

Ethical Challenges ◽

Internal Validation ◽

Neural Learning ◽

Learning Techniques

Dentistry increasingly integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve the current state of clinical dental practice. However, this revolutionary technological field raises various complex ethical challenges. The objective of this systematic scoping review is to document the current uses of AI in dentistry and the ethical concerns or challenges they imply. Three health care databases (MEDLINE [PubMed], SciVerse Scopus, and Cochrane Library) and 2 computer science databases (ArXiv, IEEE Xplore) were searched. After identifying 1,553 records, the documents were filtered, and a full-text screening was performed. In total, 178 studies were retained and analyzed by 8 researchers specialized in dentistry, AI, and ethics. The team used Covidence for data extraction and Dedoose for the identification of ethics-related information. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Among the included studies, 130 (73.0%) studies were published after 2016, and 93 (52.2%) were published in journals specialized in computer sciences. The technologies used were neural learning techniques for 75 (42.1%), traditional learning techniques for 76 (42.7%), or a combination of several technologies for 20 (11.2%). Overall, 7 countries contributed to 109 (61.2%) studies. A total of 53 different applications of AI in dentistry were identified, involving most dental specialties. The use of initial data sets for internal validation was reported in 152 (85.4%) studies. Forty-five ethical issues (related to the use AI in dentistry) were reported in 22 (12.4%) studies around 6 principles: prudence (10 times), equity (8), privacy (8), responsibility (6), democratic participation (4), and solidarity (4). The ratio of studies mentioning AI-related ethical issues has remained similar in the past years, showing that there is no increasing interest in the field of dentistry on this topic. This study confirms the growing presence of AI in dentistry and highlights a current lack of information on the ethical challenges surrounding its use. In addition, the scarcity of studies sharing their code could prevent future replications. The authors formulate recommendations to contribute to a more responsible use of AI technologies in dentistry.

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Addressing barriers to the conduct and application of research in complementary and alternative medicine: a scoping review

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies ◽

10.1186/s12906-021-03371-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yasamin Veziari ◽

Saravana Kumar ◽

Matthew Leach

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Educational Strategies ◽

The Cochrane Library ◽

Complementary And Alternative

Abstract Background Over the past few decades, the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown considerably and along with it, scrutiny regarding its evidence base. While this is to be expected, and is in line with other health disciplines, research in CAM is confronted by numerous obstacles. This scoping review aims to identify and report the strategies implemented to address barriers to the conduct and application of research in CAM. Methods The scoping review was undertaken using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. The search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, JBI and the grey literature. Two reviewers independently screened the records, following which data extraction was completed for the included studies. Descriptive synthesis was used to summarise the data. Results Of the 7945 records identified, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Using the oBSTACLES instrument as a framework, the included studies reported diverse strategies to address barriers to the conduct and application of research in CAM. All included studies reported the use of educational strategies and collaborative initiatives with CAM stakeholders, including targeted funding, to address a range of barriers. Conclusions While the importance of addressing barriers to the conduct and application of research in CAM has been recognised, to date, much of the focus has been limited to initiatives originating from a handful of jurisdictions, for a small group of CAM disciplines, and addressing few barriers. Myriad barriers continue to persist, which will require concerted effort and collaboration across a range of CAM stakeholders and across multiple sectors. Further research can contribute to the evidence base on how best to address these barriers to promote the conduct and application of research in CAM.

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A community-based system dynamics approach suggests solutions for improving healthy food access in a low-income urban environment

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0216985 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. e0216985 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yeeli Mui ◽

Ellis Ballard ◽

Eli Lopatin ◽

Rachel L. J. Thornton ◽

Keshia M. Pollack Porter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Low Income ◽

Food Access ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Community Based ◽

Healthy Food Access

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Evaluating Community Measures of Healthy Food Access

Journal of Community Health ◽

10.1007/s10900-017-0346-3 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 991-997 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Melissa L. Santorelli ◽

Janice O. Okeke

Keyword(s):

Food Access ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Healthy Food Access

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Associations between Food Policy Councils and Policies That Support Healthy Food Access: A National Survey of Community Policy Supports

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 683

Author(s):

Samantha J. Lange ◽

Larissa Calancie ◽

Stephen J. Onufrak ◽

Katherine T. Reddy ◽

Anne Palmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Survey ◽

Food Access ◽

Food Systems ◽

Food Policy ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Farmers Markets ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Policy Councils ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Healthy Food Access

Food policy councils (FPCs) are one form of community coalition that aims to address challenges to local food systems and enhance availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthy foods for local residents. We used data from the 2014 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living, a nationally representative survey of US municipalities (n = 2029), to examine the prevalence of FPCs and cross-sectional associations between FPCs and four types of supports for healthy food access (approaches to help food stores, practices to support farmers markets, transportation-related supports, and community planning documents). Overall, 7.7% of municipalities reported having a local or regional FPC. FPCs were more commonly reported among larger municipalities with ≥50,000 people (29.2%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 21.6, 36.8) and western region municipalities (13.2%, 95% CI: 9.6, 16.8). After multivariable adjustment, municipalities with FPCs had significantly higher odds of having all four types of supports, compared to those without FPCs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) range: 2.4–3.4). Among municipalities with FPCs (n = 156), 41% reported having a local government employee or elected official as a member, and 46% had a designated health or public health representative. Although FPCs were uncommon, municipalities that reported having a local or regional FPC were more likely to report having supports for healthy food access for their residents.

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A Food Hub to Address Healthy Food Access Gaps: Residents' Preferences

Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development ◽

10.5304/jafscd.2019.091.010 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jill Clark ◽

Chaturia Rouse ◽

Ashwini Sehgal ◽

Mary Bailey ◽

Bethany Bell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Access ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Food Hub ◽

Healthy Food Access

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Clinical parameters and biomarkers predicting spontaneous operational tolerance after liver transplantation: a scoping review protocol

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.21501.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 2059

Author(s):

Christian Appenzeller-Herzog ◽

Steffen Hartleif ◽

Julien Vionnet

Keyword(s):

Autoimmune Disease ◽

Viral Hepatitis ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Clinical Parameter ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Narrative Form ◽

Clinical Parameters ◽

Clinical Trial Registries ◽

Operational Tolerance

Objective: This scoping review aims at systematically mapping reported prognostic factors for spontaneous immunosuppression (IS) free allograft tolerance (operational tolerance, OT) in non-viral hepatitis and non-autoimmune disease liver transplant (LT) recipients who are undergoing immunosuppression withdrawal (ISW). The results may inform the subsequent conduct of a systematic review with a more specific review question. Background: LT is currently the most effective treatment for end-stage liver diseases. Whereas the short-term outcomes after LT have dramatically improved over the last decades, the long-term outcomes remain unsatisfactory, mainly because of side effects of lifelong IS, such as infections, cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, and nephrotoxicity. ISW studies have shown that OT can be achieved by a subset of LT recipients and recent research has identified biomarkers of OT in these patients. However, an evidence-based selection algorithm for patients that can predictably benefit from ISW is not available to date. The planned review will, therefore, map existing knowledge on prognostic clinical parameters and biomarkers for OT. Inclusion criteria: We will consider studies that record any clinical parameter or biomarker before the initiation of ISW in paediatric or adult non-viral hepatitis and non-autoimmune disease LT recipients and analyse their possible association with ISW outcomes (OT or non-tolerance). Studies addressing the effectiveness of OT-inducing treatments will be excluded. Methods: Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library will be searched for relevant articles or conference abstracts. Full-texts of selected abstracts will be independently screened for inclusion by two reviewers. References and citing articles of included records will be screened for additional relevant records. Clinical trial registries will be searched for ongoing studies, and their investigators contacted for the sharing of unpublished data. Data from included records will be independently extracted by two reviewers using a prespecified data extraction table and presented in both tabular and narrative form.

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Functionalized Nanoparticles Activated by Photodynamic Therapy as an Antimicrobial Strategy in Endodontics: A Scoping Review

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10091064 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1064

Author(s):

Pablo Betancourt ◽

Nadia Brocal ◽

Eulàlia Sans-Serramitjana ◽

Carlos Zaror

Keyword(s):

Photodynamic Therapy ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Selection Process ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Root Canals ◽

Low Cytotoxicity

The eradication of endodontic pathogens continues to be the focus of the search for new root canal system (RCS) disinfection strategies. This scoping review provides a comprehensive synthesis of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using nanoparticles (NPs) as an alternative to optimize RCS disinfection. A systematic search up to March 2021 was carried out using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Lilacs, Central Cochrane Library, and BBO databases. We included studies focused on evaluating the activation of NPs by aPDT in inoculated root canals of human or animal teeth or bacterial cultures in the laboratory. The selection process and data extraction were carried out by two researchers independently. A qualitative synthesis of the results was performed. A total of seventeen studies were included, of which twelve showed a substantial antibacterial efficacy, two assessed the substantivity of the disinfection effect, and three showed low cytotoxicity. No adverse effects were reported. The use of functionalized NPs with photosensitizer molecules in aPDT has been shown to be effective in reducing the bacteria count, making it a promising alternative in endodontic disinfection. Further studies are needed to assess the development of this therapy in in vivo conditions, with detailed information about the laser parameters used to allow the development of safe and standardized protocols.

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