scholarly journals Evaluating Healthcare Governance Policies: A Scoping Review Protocol

Author(s):  
Heather Finnegan ◽  
Gayle Halas ◽  
Caroline Monnin ◽  
Allie Peckham ◽  
Malcolm Doupe

Abstract Background: Governance policies provide structures and processes through which healthcare systems are managed. Existing literature defines strategies to evaluate operational (e.g. program) and clinical (e.g., patient-provider) healthcare interventions; the equivalent strategies to evaluate governance policies are less well developed. The aim of the proposed scoping review is to examine the extent, nature and range of approaches used to evaluate healthcare governance policies.Methods: Informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the Arksey and O’Malley framework, the proposed study will conduct a keyword search of both health and social sciences databases, including Ageline (EBSCOhost 1978-2020), CINAHL with Full Text (EBSCOhost 1981-2020), EconLIT (EBSCOhost 1886-2020), Medline (Ovid 1946-2020), Global Health (Ovid 1973-2020) and Scopus (1970-2020). The grey literature – Public Documents (desLibris), Theses & Dissertations (ProQuest) and Google Advanced – will also be searched to ensure comprehensive identification of studies. Any evaluation of healthcare governance policies published in English will be included. Findings will be presented using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses: Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMSA-ScR). Our cross-disciplinary team will critically assess the identified literature. Discussion: Findings from the proposed scoping review will provide insight into the ways in which healthcare governance policies have been evaluated and offer future research directions. Based on initial literature scans and consultations with policy workers, we expect to demonstrate the need for more robust (i.e., deliberate, methodical) approaches to evaluate healthcare governance policies, which in turn requires meaningful partnerships to enrich the transactional space between research and policy.

Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daly Geagea ◽  
Zephanie Tyack ◽  
Roy Kimble ◽  
Lars Eriksson ◽  
Vince Polito ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Inadequately treated pain and distress elicited by medical procedures can put children at higher risks of acute and chronic biopsychosocial sequelae. Children can benefit from hypnotherapy, a psychological tailored intervention, as an adjunct to pharmacological agents to address the multiple components of pain and distress. Despite providing evidence on the effectiveness and potential superiority of hypnotherapy to other psychological interventions, research on hypnotherapy for paediatric procedural pain and distress has been predominantly limited to oncology and needle procedures. Plus, there is a lack of reporting of intervention manuals, factors influencing hypnotic responding, pain unpleasantness outcomes, theoretical frameworks, adverse events, as well as barriers and facilitators to the feasibility of delivering the intervention and study procedures. The proposed review aims to map the range and nature of the evidence on hypnotherapy for procedural pain and distress in children to identify gaps in literature and areas requiring further investigation. Methods This review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) methodology and incorporate additional scoping review recommendations by The Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. Relevant studies will be identified through searching published literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) and grey literature in addition to hand-searching of reference lists and key journals. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts of search results followed by full-texts review against eligibility criteria. Conclusion Findings are anticipated to guide future research and inform the development of tailored hypnotic interventions in children.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugochinyere Ijeoma Nwagbara ◽  
Emmanuella Chinonso Osuala ◽  
Rumbidzai Chireshe ◽  
Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa

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/.


Author(s):  
Daniele Costa ◽  
J. C. Guedes ◽  
J. Santos Baptista

Thermal comfort affects satisfaction in the workplace, which impacts work efficiency and productivity. Since office workers spend most of their working hours performing sedentary tasks, a scoping review is proposed to contextualize how thermal sensation and thermal comfort are experimentally assessed in the scientific literature. This work presents the scoping review protocol for the scoping review. It follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for systematic review protocols (PRISMA-P). The scoping review will be elaborated based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The scoping review will consider peer-reviewed articles written in English, published or in-press. Grey literature and conference papers will be excluded. Only studies performing the experimental assessment of thermal sensation and thermal comfort of human subjects engaged in sedentary activities within homogeneous environments will be considered suitable for the scoping review. Studies will be retrieved from the Journal Storage (JSTOR), PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy will consist of the use of the expression ("thermal comfort" OR "therm* sensation" OR "thermosensation") AND ("sedentary" or "office work*" or "office task*"). After removing duplicates, the remaining studies will have their title, abstract, and keywords screened. Studies meeting the eligibility criteria will be selected for full-text screening. Data items will be summarized using summary tables, and their reporting will consider the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The scoping review aims to summarize the existing scientific evidence and identify research needs to experimentally assess the thermal sensation and the thermal comfort of subjects performing sedentary tasks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 976-988
Author(s):  
Anne Fee ◽  
Deborah Muldrew ◽  
Paul Slater ◽  
Sheila Payne ◽  
Sonja McIlfatrick ◽  
...  

Background: Access to community palliative care ‘out-of-hours’ – defined as care provided after the normal hours of work – is advocated globally. Healthcare assistants, who provide care under the direction of a qualified professional, are increasingly employed to help deliver such care, yet there is a little understanding regarding their role, responsibilities or contribution. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the roles, responsibilities and contributions of healthcare assistants in out-of-hours community palliative care. Design: Scoping review Data sources: Five bibliographic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Scopus) and grey literature were searched using a predefined search strategy. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews statement. Results: The search yielded six papers using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. Results highlighted a lack of recognition of the role and contribution of healthcare assistants. A concurrent theme was that healthcare assistants continually monitored and responded to patient’s and family’s physical and emotional needs; there was also self-reported evidence indicating patient and family benefit, such as maintaining a sense of normality and support to remain at home. Discussion: This review highlighted a dearth of evidence relating to the healthcare assistant role in out-of-hours palliative care. Limited evidence suggests they play a role, but that it is hidden and undervalued. Such invisibility will have a significant impact on the planning and delivery of out-of-hours palliative care. Future research is needed on role development for the benefit of patients and caregivers.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e040922
Author(s):  
Bethany Villas ◽  
Uira Duarte Wisnesky ◽  
Sandra Campbell ◽  
Lauren Slavik ◽  
Amynah S. Mevawala ◽  
...  

Review question/objectiveThe purpose of this proposed review is twofold: first, to understand the role of occupational therapy presented in the musicians’ health literature; and second, to explore the potential for this role.IntroductionThe intense movement, awkward postures, concentration and emotional communication required of musicians can place them at increased risk of music-related health conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders and performance anxiety. The development of music-related health conditions can be emotionally and financially devastating. The role of occupational therapy in musicians’ health has been previously discussed; however, no rigorous reviews of the scholarly literature have been published. We will, therefore, undertake a scoping review with the following research questions: (1) what is known about the role of occupational therapy in instrumental musicians’ health? and (2) what is the potential role of occupational therapy in musicians’ health?Methods and analysisA preliminary search of Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science was previously undertaken by the first author to determine the extent of the research on this topic and to confirm that no other reviews have been conducted or are in progress. Study selection and analysis will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines for conducting a scoping review.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethics approval is not required at our institution for a review of published literature. The results of this review will be shared through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and traditional and social media.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e041894
Author(s):  
Joyce Kibaru ◽  
Pinky Kotecha ◽  
Abdulkarim Muhammad Iya ◽  
Beth Russell ◽  
Muzzammil Abdullahi ◽  
...  

IntroductionBladder cancer (BC) is the 10th common cancer worldwide and ranks seventh in Nigeria. This scoping review aims to identify the gaps in clinical care and research of BC in Nigeria as part of the development of a larger national research programme aiming to improve outcomes and care of BC.Methods and analysisThis review will be conducted according to Arksey and O’Malley scoping review methodology framework. The following electronic databases will be searched: Medline (using the PubMed interface), Ovid Gateway (Embase and Ovid), Cochrane library and Open Grey literature. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts and subsequently screen full-text studies for inclusion, any lack of consensus will be discussed with a third reviewer. Any study providing insight into the epidemiology or treatment pathway of BC (RCTs, observations, case series, policy paper) will be included. A data chart will be used to extract relevant data from the included studies. Results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. A consultation process will be carried out with a multidisciplinary team of Nigerian healthcare professionals, patients and scientists.Ethics and disseminationThe results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. By highlighting the key gaps in the literature, this review can provide direction for future research and clinical guidelines in Nigeria (and other low-income and middle-income countries), where BC is more prevalent due to local risk factors and healthcare settings.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135481662199996
Author(s):  
Ali Salman Saleh ◽  
Charbel Bassil ◽  
Arsalan Safari

Tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has recently been considered by policymakers as a new avenue for economic diversification. Despite the considerable literature concerning the impact of tourism worldwide, only a limited number of studies have looked at the tourism sector in the GCC region or analyzed its economic, sociocultural, and environmental impacts. This article therefore conducts a systematic review of the state of the literature related to tourism in the GCC region. It provides effective insights about the current status, gaps, and challenges and proposes future research directions in this area for academics, practitioners, and policymakers with an interest in regional tourism development. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach was used to identify and select the papers. Some 23 papers were identified and analyzed. The majority of these studies focused on the United Arab Emirates, specifically the Dubai emirate. We found the most dominant research theme to be tourism planning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Miranda dos Santos ◽  
Flavio Sanson Fogliatto ◽  
Carolina Melecardi Zani ◽  
Fernanda Araujo Pimentel Peres

Abstract Background Surgical Tray Rationalization (STR) consists of a systematic reduction in the number of surgical instruments to perform specific procedures without compromising patient safety while reducing losses in the sterilization and assembly of trays. STR is one example of initiatives to improve process performance that have been widely reported in industrial settings but only recently have gained popularity in healthcare organizations. Methods We conduct a scoping review of the literature to identify and map available evidence on surgical tray management. Five methodological stages are implemented and reported; they are: identifying research questions, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, and collating, summarizing and reporting the results. Results We reviewed forty-eight articles on STR, which were grouped according to their main proposed approaches: expert analysis, lean practices, and mathematical programming. We identify the most frequently used techniques within each approach and point to their potential contributions to operational and economic dimensions of STR. We also consolidate our findings, proposing a roadmap to STR with four generic steps (prepare, rationalize, implement, and consolidate) and recommended associated techniques. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first study that reviews and systematizes the existing literature on the subject of STR. Our study closes with the proposition of future research directions, which are presented as nine research questions associated with the four generic steps proposed in the STR roadmap.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e026204
Author(s):  
Lysanne Lessard ◽  
Agnes Grudniewicz ◽  
Antoine Sauré ◽  
Agnieszka Szczotka ◽  
James King ◽  
...  

IntroductionHealth systems in North America and Europe have been criticised for their lack of safety, efficiency and effectiveness despite rising healthcare costs. In response, healthcare leaders and researchers have articulated the need to transform current health systems into continuously and rapidly learning health systems (LHSs). While digital technology has been envisioned as providing the transformational power for LHSs by generating timely evidence and supporting best care practices, it remains to be ascertained if it is indeed playing this role in current LHS initiatives. This paper presents a protocol for a scoping review that aims at providing a comprehensive understanding of how and to what extent digital technology is used within LHSs. Results will help to identify gaps in the literature as a means to guide future research on this topic.Methods and analysisMultiple databases and grey literature will be searched with terms related to learning health systems. Records selection will be done in duplicate by two reviewers applying pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction from selected records will be done by two reviewers using a piloted data charting form. Results will be synthesised through a descriptive numerical summary and a mapping of digital technology use onto types of LHSs and phases of learning within LHSs.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for this scoping review. Preliminary results will be shared with stakeholders to account for their perspectives when drawing conclusions. Final results will be disseminated through presentations at relevant conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.


2020 ◽  
pp. 095679762095663
Author(s):  
Christian Thöni ◽  
Stefan Volk ◽  
Jose M. Cortina

Do men and women differ systematically in their cooperation behaviors? Researchers have long grappled with this question, and studies have returned equivocal results. We developed an evolutionary perspective according to which men are characterized by greater intrasex variability in cooperation as a result of sex-differentiated psychological adaptations. We tested our hypothesis in two meta-analyses. The first involved the raw data of 40 samples from 23 social-dilemma studies with 8,123 participants. Findings provided strong support for our perspective. Whereas we found that the two sexes do not differ in average cooperation levels, men are much more likely to behave either selfishly or altruistically, whereas women are more likely to be moderately cooperative. We confirmed our findings in a second meta-analytic study of 28 samples from 23 studies of organizational citizenship behavior with 13,985 participants. Our results highlight the importance of taking intrasex variability into consideration when studying sex differences in cooperation and suggest important future research directions.


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