Availability of Standard Operating Guidelines for Primary Healthcare Facilities in Sub-saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol

Abstract Background: Primary healthcare (PHC) clinics play an essential role in the delivery of community-based health services, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, there is little systematic documentation on the availability of standard operating guidelines governing their operation or evaluating the services provided by PHC facilities. This study, therefore, will aim to systematically map literature and describe the evidence on the availability of standard operating guidelines or procedures for PHC facilities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Methods: This scoping review study will be conducted inline with the Arksey and O'Malley's framework. PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, and Health Sources), Scopus, and Google Scholar will be searched from 2010 to 2020 for relevant evidence sources using a search strategy comprising of keywords, Boolean terms, and medical subject headings. This study will include evidence sources/studies written/published in English that focused standard on standard operating guidelines for staffing and operational management, patient care and service provision, and quality monitoring procedures to assess the functioning of PHC facilities in SSA. The screening of the evidence sources/studies at all the stages and the data extraction will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Thematic analysis will be carried out to identify the themes and sub-themes and the findings relating to this study's research question summarised and reported for each theme narratively. Discussion: This scoping review anticipates to highlight standard operating guidelines available for staffing and operational management, patient care and service provision, and quality monitoring procedures to assess the functioning of PHC facilities to inform the development of relevant standard operating guidelines to improve healthcare services at the primary level. This study also anticipates revealing literature gaps for future research to ensure the attainment of universal health coverage by 2030.

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Synthesizing evidence on nutrition challenges among people living with HIV/AIDS in sub- Saharan Africa: a protocol for a scoping review

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20192871 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (7) ◽

pp. 3173 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira ◽

Moreblessing Chipo Mashora

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Nutritional Management ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Improve Health ◽

Hiv Aids

Background: Good nutritional status is highly significant for individuals who are infected with HIV. However, they still face a number of nutritional challenges. The proposed scoping review will map literature on the nutritional challenges facing people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and guide future research in nutritional management to improve health outcomes for PLWH. Here we outline a scoping review protocol designed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P 2015 Guidelines).Methods: The Arksey and O’Malley’s 2005 scoping methodological framework further improved by Levac et al. 2010 will guide the search and reporting. Searches will be conducted for eligible articles from MEDLINE (PubMed), MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete and ISI Web of Science (Science Citation Index) electronic databases. Two independent reviewers will conduct the search guided by an inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality appraisal of the included articles will be conducted guided by the mixed methods appraisal tool 2018 version. We will employ NVivo version 12 for thematic content analysis.Conclusions: The findings of this review will guide future research in nutritional management to improve health outcomes for PLWH in sub-Saharan African. This review will be disseminated electronically in a published peer reviewed article and in print.

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Mapping evidence on the distribution of paediatric cancers in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-019-1184-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sehlisiwe R. Ndlovu ◽

Desmond Kuupiel ◽

Themba G. Ginindza

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Low Income ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Future Research ◽

International Agency ◽

Healthcare Needs ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Paediatric cancers account for a minor fraction of deaths and hence receive little attention from policymakers. In low-income countries, the absence of comprehensive national paediatric strategies results in a lack of access for a majority of children with cancer. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the burden of childhood cancers is underestimated due to a lack of paediatric cancer registries, poor health care systems and competing healthcare needs. The objective of this study is to map evidence on the distribution of paediatric cancers in the SSA region. Method A scoping review will be conducted to map literature on the distribution of paediatric cancers in SSA. An electronic literature search will be conducted from the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost (CINAHL and Health Source) and World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) (GLOBOCAN databases). We will also search the reference lists of included studies to source relevant literature. A pilot search was conducted to determine the feasibility of the study. Study selection will be guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After charting the data, a descriptive overview of the studies will be presented in a narrative format. An account of the study characteristics will be described in this narrative. The analysis will be mainly based on mapping the country-specific outcomes emerging from the studies, and a numerical summary of these outcomes will be conducted. Tables, maps and charts will be produced and presented in the result section. Discussion This review study will identify existing research gaps for future research to influence policy implementation and to improve the availability of diagnosis and treatment of paediatric cancers in SSA.

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Arts-based approaches to promoting health in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001987 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

pp. e001987 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Christopher Bunn ◽

Chisomo Kalinga ◽

Otiyela Mtema ◽

Sharifa Abdulla ◽

Angel Dillip ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

Health Issues ◽

Arts And Humanities ◽

Art Forms ◽

Health Related ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Hiv Aids

IntroductionArts-based approaches to health promotion have been used widely across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly in public health responses to HIV/AIDS. Such approaches draw on deep-rooted historical traditions of indigenous groups in combination with imported traditions which emerged from colonial engagement. To date, no review has sought to map the locations, health issues, art forms and methods documented by researchers using arts-based approaches in SSA.MethodsUsing scoping review methodology, 11 databases spanning biomedicine, arts and humanities and social sciences were searched. Researchers screened search results for papers using predefined criteria. Papers included in the review were read and summarised using a standardised proforma. Descriptive statistics were produced to characterise the location of the studies, art forms used or discussed, and the health issues addressed, and to determine how best to summarise the literature identified.ResultsSearches identified a total of 59 794 records, which reduced to 119 after screening. We identified literature representing 30 (62.5%) of the 48 countries in the SSA region. The papers covered 16 health issues. The majority (84.9%) focused on HIV/AIDS-related work, with Ebola (5.0%) and malaria (3.3%) also receiving attention. Most studies used a single art form (79.0%), but a significant number deployed multiple forms (21.0%). Theatre-based approaches were most common (43.7%), followed by music and song (22.6%), visual arts (other) (9.2%), storytelling (7.6%) and film (5.0%).ConclusionsArts-based approaches have been widely deployed in health promotion in SSA, particularly in response to HIV/AIDS. Historically and as evidenced by this review, arts-based approaches have provided a platform to facilitate enquiry, achieved significant reach and in some instances supported demonstrable health-related change. Challenges relating to content, power relations and evaluation have been reported. Future research should focus on broadening application to other conditions, such as non-communicable diseases, and on addressing challenges raised in research to date.

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Mapping evidence on the burden and distribution of childhood obesity in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-019-1189-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Frederick I. Danquah ◽

Matilda Yeboah ◽

Vitalis Bawontuo ◽

Desmond Kuupiel

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Research Direction ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Unpublished Studies ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Obesity in childhood is associated with adverse health outcomes and complications throughout the life-span of a child. Available evidence suggests a dramatic increase in childhood obesity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over the past two decades. The health risks associated with obesity/overweight are particularly problematic in children due to the potential for long-term health concerns. The researchers propose to conduct a systematic scoping review to map evidence on the burden and distribution of childhood obesity in SSA. Methods The study will be guided by the scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. A comprehensive literature search will be performed in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, African Index Medicus, and CINAHL with full text via EBSCOhost platform. Primary studies both published in peer-reviewed journals and gray literature such as unpublished studies, thesis, and studies in press addressing the research topic will be included. One reviewer will conduct title screening, and the results will be exported to Mendeley Desktop library. Two independent reviewers will perform both abstract and full article screening in parallel as well as data extraction from eligible studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis: Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) will be utilized to present the study findings of the proposed scoping review. NVivo version 11.0 will be used to extract the relevant outcomes from the included studies, a content thematic analysis performed, and the results reported using a narrative approach. The Mixed Method Quality Appraisal Tool Version 2018 will be used to assess the methodological quality of all included studies. Discussion We anticipate that the proposed study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge on childhood obesity, identify gaps in knowledge on the topic, inform future research direction, and provide evidence-based information to strengthen health systems and policies on childhood obesity towards achieving the WHO global target of halting the rise in obesity by 2025.

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Mapping Evidence of the Power Relations Between Domestic Workers and Their Employers in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Scoping Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1130557/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thobeka Ntini ◽

Delarise Mulqueeny ◽

Vishanthie Sewpaul

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Search Engines ◽

Power Relations ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Domestic Work ◽

Domestic Workers ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

International Labour Organization ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Across various intersectional lines, including race, class and gender, domestic work is profoundly exploitative than other comparable occupations. The private household, within which domestic workers (DWs) work and function, provides for a space of complex and nuanced dynamics of power. According to the International Labour Organization there are more than 65 million DWs in the world, and Africa is the third largest employer of DWs, with more than 5.2 million DWs reported. The inception of the Domestic Workers Convention (No. 189) (C189) in 2011 sought to protect DWs from all forms of exploitation and discrimination in the workplace, the convention brought global attention to the violation of their human rights and inequalities within the domestic work sector. Although there are more than 5.2 million DWs in Africa, 39/46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have not ratified this convention. Due to the extremely low ratification of the C189 and scanty evidence on the power relations between DWs and their employers in SSA, this scoping review is relevant to detect the extent and characteristics of domestic work in SSA since the introduction of C189 in September 2011. Methods The literature that will be included in this scoping review are published peer-reviewed articles, grey literature from relevant departmental websites, humanitarian organisations and theses. Electronic searches of databases and search engines such as Google, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, EBSCO Discovery Service, Scopus, World Bank and International Labour Organization (ILO) for literature published between September 2011-2021. Other search engines will include screening citations and references of appearing literature within the stipulated time period. All retrieved literature will be exported to an Endnote X9 library. Duplicate documents will be deleted prior to commencement of title screening. An adapted Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT), developed in a Google form, will be used by two reviewers to quality assess and describe all included studies (qualitative, mixed methods and quantitative). Discussion We anticipate mapping relevant literature on the power relations between domestic workers and their employers in sub-Saharan Africa. Once analysis and summary is finalised, the data will be useful to guide future research.

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Protocol for a scoping review of research on abortion in sub-Saharan Africa

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0254818 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0254818

Author(s):

Kenneth Juma ◽

Ramatou Ouedraogo ◽

Meggie Mwoka ◽

Anthony Idowu Ajayi ◽

Emmy Igonya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Primary Data ◽

Future Research ◽

Safe Abortion ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Research Investments

Introduction Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality, and access to safe abortion services remains a public health priority in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A considerable amount of abortion research exists in the region; however, the spread of existing evidence is uneven such that some countries have an acute shortage of data with others over-researched. The imbalance reflects the complexities in prioritization among researchers, academics, and funders, and undeniably impedes effective policy and advocacy efforts. This scoping review aims to identify and map the landscape of abortion research in SSA, summarize existing knowledge, and pinpoint significant gaps, both substantive and geographic, requiring further investigation. This review will provide direction for future research, investments, and offer guidance for policy and programming on safe abortion. Materials and methods We utilize the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodology for conducting scoping reviews. We will perform the search for articles in 8 electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, AJOL, Science Direct, SCOPUS, HINARI, Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, and WHO Regional Databases). We will include studies written in English or French language, produced or published between January 1, 2011, and July 31, 2021, and pertain directly to the subject of abortion in SSA. Using a tailored extraction frame, we will extract relevant information from publications that meet the inclusion criteria. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis in response to key review questions. Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required, as no primary data will be collected. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

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Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Preventive Practice Towards Novel Coronavirus 2019 in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-104159/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ugochinyere Ijeoma Nwagbara ◽

Emmanuella Chinonso Osuala ◽

Rumbidzai Chireshe ◽

Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Keyword Search ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Abstract Background: Recent statistics and studies have shown the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on population health and how knowledge, attitude, perception and practice (KAP) towards the virus can be the main key to limiting its spread in the absence of a vaccine. Thus, this study aims at mapping evidence on the KAP towards COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using scoping review.Methods: The study will employ a systematic scoping review to identify, describe, and map literature on the KAP towards COVID-19 in SSA. The primary search will include peer-reviewed and grey literature. The search will be performed using the EBSCOhost platform and a keyword search from the following electronic databases will be conducted: PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Science Direct, World Health Organization (WHO) library, and grey literature. The study selection will be guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A data charting table will be used to extract information from the included studies. Data will be analysed using NVIVO version 10 and a thematic content analysis will be used to present narrative account of the review.Discussion: We anticipate finding relevant literature on the KAP towards COVID-19 in SSA. The results of this study will help reveal research gaps in KAP towards COVID-19 and this will guide future research and highlight the new concepts discovered. Systematic review protocol registration: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/sdm46/.

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Mapping adolescent sexual and reproductive health research in sub-Saharan Africa: protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035335 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. e035335

Author(s):

Anthony Idowu Ajayi ◽

Boniface Ayanbekongshie Ushie ◽

Meggie Mwoka ◽

Emmy Kageha Igonya ◽

Ramatou Ouedraogo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Grey Literature ◽

The Body ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Full Search

IntroductionPrevious studies have attempted to review the vast body of evidence on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), but none has focused on a complete mapping and synthesis of the body of inquiry and evidence on ASRH in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Such a comprehensive scoping is needed, however, to offer direction to policy, programming and future research. We aim to undertake a scoping review of studies on ASRH in SSA to capture the landscape of extant research and findings and identify gaps for future research.Methods and analysisThis protocol is designed using the framework for scoping reviews developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. We will include English and French language peer-reviewed publications and grey literature on ASRH (aged 10–19) in SSA published between January 2010 and June 2019. A three-step search strategy involving an initial search of three databases to refine the keywords, a full search of all databases and screening of references of previous review studies for relevant articles missing from our full search will be employed. We will search AJOL, JSTOR, HINARI, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar and the websites for the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNESCO and Guttmacher Institute. Two reviewers will screen the titles, abstracts and full texts of publications for eligibility and inclusion—using Covidence (an online software). We will then extract relevant information from studies that meet the inclusion criteria using a tailored extraction frame and template. Extracted data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results will be presented using tables and charts and summaries of key themes arising from available research findings.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for a scoping review as it synthesises publicly available publications. Dissemination will be through publication in a peer-review journal and presentation at relevant conferences and convening of policymakers and civil society organisations working on ASRH in SSA.

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Mapping evidence on women’s knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-019-1254-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roseline H. Udoh ◽

Monica Ansu-Mensah ◽

Mohammed Tahiru ◽

Vitalis Bawontuo ◽

Desmond Kuupiel

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

Breast Self Examination ◽

Knowledge And Practice ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Self Examination ◽

Women's Knowledge ◽

Women’S Knowledge

Abstract Background Globally, breast cancer is the most common malignant condition in women. Breast self-examination practice following correct procedure potentially can lead to early detection of breast abnormalities. We propose to systematically chart literature and examine the scope of evidence on women’s knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods Our scoping review methods will be guided by the framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley, Levac et al. and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Literature searches will be conducted in the following electronic databases (from 2008 onwards): PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Health Sources. Grey literature will be identified through searching dissertation databases, Google Scholar and governmental databases. Two reviewers will screen all citations and full-text articles We will abstract data, organise them into themes and sub-themes, summarise them and report the results using a narrative synthesis. The study methodological quality (or bias) will be appraised using a mixed-method appraisal tool. Discussion The findings from the scoping review will contribute to obtain an understanding of the women’s knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa, and will likely reveal the depth of evidence helping to identify gaps for future research. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Implications for clinical practice and health policy will be discussed.

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The Distribution of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Nurses in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-50166/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kagiso Kgakge ◽

Mbuzeleni Hlongwa ◽

Themba Ginindza

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Musculoskeletal Injuries ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract BackgroundAlthough measures have been put in place, musculoskeletal injuries are noticeable high among the nursing fraternity with Low back pain (LBP) being the most prevalent. It is evident that healthcare professionals are in constant exposure to occupational hazards such as musculoskeletal injuries as they discharge their professional duties. Not only does LBP affect the health of the nurses, it also creates a huge burden on the health systems with consequent poor performance at the workplace as well as economic burden. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to map evidence on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, risk factors and economic costs of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in sub Saharan Africa (SSA).Methods and analysisScoping review will be done to explore, describe and map literature on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, risk factors, and economic costs related to MSD among nurses in SSA. The search will be done using databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, nursing academic editions and World Health Organization (WHO) library databases. The search will look for primary studies within peer-reviewed articles as well as gray literature. In addition, the researcher will search the articles using keywords from the included studies as well as the list of references for related studies. The screening will be guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the scoping review will be reported in accordance to PRISMA-P guidelines. The NVivo 12 data analysis software will be used to generate themes, and a thematic content analysis will be used to give the narrative account of the review.DiscussionAt the end, this study anticipates to uncover the relevant literature in SSA in regard to prevalence, incidence, mortality, risk factors and costs related to MSD among nurses; furthermore findings from this study will help in identifying research gaps, informing policy, priority in funding and planning and to guide future research.

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