COVID-19 prevalence and infection control measures at homeless shelters and hostels in high-income countries: a scoping review

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted homeless populations and service workers, especially within homeless shelter/hostel settings. To date, there have been few evidence syntheses examining outbreaks of COVID-19 among both homeless shelters residents and service workers, nor has there been a critically engaged summary of relevant infection control and prevention (IPAC) measures. This scoping review offers a timely and much-needed synthesis of COVID-19 prevalence within homeless shelters and a review of current and pertinent IPAC measures. Methods: We conducted a scoping review in June 2021 that synthesized academic and grey literature published from March 2020 to July 2021 pertaining to 1) the prevalence of COVID-19 among both residents and staff in homeless shelters and hostels in high-income countries, and 2) COVID-19 IPAC strategies applied in these settings. Two reviewers independently screened the results of the literature search of several databases that included MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and the WHO’s COVID-19 Global Health Portal. All the extracted data was mapped, categorized, and thematically discussed. Results: Thematic analysis of included literature revealed five key themes: 1) the demographics of COVID-19 in homeless shelters, 2) asymptomatic spread, 3) pre-existing vulnerability of the homeless and shelters, 4) the limited application of IPAC, and 5) IPAC effectiveness. Conclusion: This review offers a useful glimpse into the landscape of COVID-19 outbreaks in homeless shelters/hostels and the major contributing factors to these events. The scoping review revealed that there is no clear indication of generally accepted IPAC standards for homeless populations and shelter care workers. This review also illustrated a great need for future research to establish IPAC best practices as well as additional resources for shelter systems to protect residents and staff at homeless shelters/hostels in high-income countries. Finally, the findings from this review reaffirm that homelessness prevention is a key to limiting disease outbreaks, and the associated negative health outcomes in shelter populations.

Download Full-text

COVID-19 prevalence and infection control measures at homeless shelters and hostels in high-income countries: protocol for a scoping review

10.25071/10315/38513 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Justine Levesque ◽

Nathaniel Loranger ◽

Carter Sehn ◽

Shantel Johnson ◽

Jordan Babando

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Grey Literature ◽

High Income ◽

Control Measures ◽

Homeless Shelters ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Management Platform ◽

Review Management

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted people experiencing homelessness. Homeless shelters and hostels, as congregate living spaces for residents with many health vulnerabilities, are highly susceptible to outbreaks of COVID-19. A synthesis of the research-to-date can inform evidence-based practices for infection, prevention, and control strategies at these sites to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 among both shelter/hostel residents and staff. Methods: A scoping review in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s framework will be conducted to identify literature reporting COVID-19 positivity rates among homeless shelter and hostel residents and staff, as well as infection control strategies to prevent outbreaks in these facilities. The focus will be on literature produced in high-income countries. Nine academic literature databases and 11 grey literature databases will be searched for literature from March 2020 to July 2021. Literature screening will be completed by two reviewers and facilitated by Covidence, a systematic review management platform. A third reviewer will be engaged to resolve disagreements and facilitate consensus. A narrative summary of the major themes identified in the literature, numerical counts of relevant data including the COVID-19 positivity rates, and recommendations for different infection control approaches will be produced. Discussion: The synthesis of the research generated on COVID-19 prevalence and prevention in homeless shelters and hostels will assist in establishing best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases at these facilities in high-income countries while identifying next steps to expand the existing evidence base.

Download Full-text

Suicide capacity within the ideation-to-action framework: a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e043649

Author(s):

Luke T Bayliss ◽

Andrea Lamont-Mills ◽

Carol du Plessis ◽

Talia Morgan

Keyword(s):

Suicide Attempt ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Practical Knowledge ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Publication Date ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Human Participants

IntroductionA core facilitator of the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicide attempt is the individual’s capacity for suicide. Suicide capacity is a theoretically universal concept adaptable for specific groups that is hypothesised to comprise three contributing factors: acquired capability, for example, previous self-harm; dispositional, such as genetic influences and practical, knowledge of and access to lethal means. Given that suicide capacity as a concept is continuing to develop, a review and synthesis of the current literature is timely to ensure future research and development of suicide prevention strategies are based on evidential knowledge. The aim of this review is to map the available evidence to provide an overview of factors that contribute to an adult’s capacity for suicide.Methods and analysisThis review will encompass five stages. Studies will be identified through broad search strings applied to 11 academic databases: Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Psychology & Behavioural Sciences, & Sociology Source Ultimate via EBSCOHost Megafile Ultimate; PubMed; Science Direct; Wiley Online; Taylor & Francis and ProQuest dissertations and theses. Grey literature databases and key suicide organisations will also be searched for relevant literature. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts then review full texts to identify articles meeting inclusion criteria. Articles will be assessed for eligibility based on suicide attempt history, primary research study design, language and publication date. Data from eligible full texts will be extracted using a predesigned template for analysis. The synthesisation method will be textual narrative synthesis with an incorporated quality appraisal checklist tool.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required for this scoping review as no human participants are involved. Study findings will be shared with key suicide organisations, through peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations.

Download Full-text

Hypnotherapy for Procedural Pain and Distress in Children: A scoping Review Protocol

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnab038 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daly Geagea ◽

Zephanie Tyack ◽

Roy Kimble ◽

Lars Eriksson ◽

Vince Polito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Procedural Pain ◽

Future Research ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Pharmacological Agents ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Meta Analyses

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.

Download Full-text

Assessing the indirect effects of COVID-19 on healthcare delivery, utilization and health outcomes: a scoping review

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckab047 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Charlotte M Roy ◽

E Brennan Bollman ◽

Laura M Carson ◽

Alexander J Northrop ◽

Elizabeth F Jackson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Effects ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Healthcare Delivery ◽

Final Analysis ◽

High Income ◽

Future Research ◽

Published Data ◽

Local Health

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and global efforts to contain its spread, such as stay-at-home orders and transportation shutdowns, have created new barriers to accessing healthcare, resulting in changes in service delivery and utilization globally. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the literature published thus far on the indirect health effects of COVID-19 and to explore the data sources and methodologies being used to assess indirect health effects. Methods A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature using three search engines was performed. Results One hundred and seventy studies were included in the final analysis. Nearly half (46.5%) of included studies focused on cardiovascular health outcomes. The main methodologies used were observational analytic and surveys. Data were drawn from individual health facilities, multicentre networks, regional registries, and national health information systems. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries with only 35.4% of studies representing low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Conclusion Healthcare utilization for non-COVID-19 conditions has decreased almost universally, across both high- and lower-income countries. The pandemic’s impact on non-COVID-19 health outcomes, particularly for chronic diseases, may take years to fully manifest and should be a topic of ongoing study. Future research should be tied to system improvement and the promotion of health equity, with researchers identifying potentially actionable findings for national, regional and local health leadership. Public health professionals must also seek to address the disparity in published data from LMICs as compared with high-income countries.

Download Full-text

Scoping review protocol: bladder cancer in Nigeria: what are the gaps in clinical care and research?

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041894 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. e041894

Author(s):

Joyce Kibaru ◽

Pinky Kotecha ◽

Abdulkarim Muhammad Iya ◽

Beth Russell ◽

Muzzammil Abdullahi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bladder Cancer ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Low Income ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Case Series ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

Local Risk

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.

Download Full-text

Nodding syndrome: bridging the gap—a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035269 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e035269

Author(s):

Ana Cristina De Castro ◽

Ivan Ortega-Deballon

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Science Citation Index ◽

Citation Index ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Social Science Citation Index ◽

Science Citation ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Nodding Syndrome

IntroductionNodding syndrome (NS) is an encephalopathy of unknown origin that affects children aged between 3 and 15 years old. Cases have been reported since the 1950 in Tanzania and South Sudan, the most heavily affected population is the Acholi community in Uganda. In response to the high incidence of the disease, the Ugandan Government has developed a management algorithm, but access to such measures in affected communities is limited. There is little funding for research on the disease, consequently, few studies have been conducted to date. Nevertheless, the number of scientific publications on NS has increased since 2013, reporting several aetiological hypotheses, management algorithms and cases of stigmatisation; however, none has obtained conclusive results.This document describes a protocol for a scoping review of NS to date aimed at obtaining a broad overview of the disease. The results will identify gaps in knowledge in order to better guide future research, intervention strategies, health policies in areas at risk and cooperation and development programmes.Methods and analysisTo identify the relevant data, we will conduct a literature search using the electronic databases PubMed/Medline, Embase, Social Science Citation Index Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud (LILACS), Social Science Citation Index Expanded and The Cochrane Library. We will also include grey literature. The search strategy will be designed by a librarian.Two members of the team will work independently to identify studies for inclusion and perform data extraction. The search results will be assessed by two independent reviewers and data from the included studies will be charted and summarised in duplicate. The data will be summarised in tables and figures to present the research landscape and describe and map gaps.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required. The scoping review will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews andMeta-Analyses-ScR guidelines. The results will be disseminated at scientific congresses and meetings.

Download Full-text

Current challenges of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence studies among blood donors: A scoping review

10.1101/2021.05.13.21257177 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sahar Saeed ◽

Samra Uzicanin ◽

Antoine Lewin ◽

Ryanne Lieshout-Krikke ◽

Helen Faddy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Blood Donors ◽

Herd Immunity ◽

Future Research ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Population Sampling ◽

Test Characteristics ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Study Designs ◽

Antibody Kinetics

Background: Blood donors are increasingly being recognized as an informative resource for surveillance. We aimed to review and characterize SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies conducted using blood donors to investigate methodology and provide guidance for future research. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and preprint publications between January 2020 to January 2021. Two reviewers used standardized forms to extract seroprevalence estimates and data on methodology pertaining to population sampling, periodicity, assay characteristics and antibody kinetics. National data on cumulative incidence and social distancing policies were extracted from publicly available sources and summarized. Results: Thirty-three studies representing 1,323,307 blood donations from 20 countries worldwide were included (sample size per study ranged from 22 to 953,926 donations). Seroprevalence rates ranged from 0% to 76% (after adjusting for waning antibodies). Overall, less than 1 in 5 studies reported standardized seroprevalence rates to reflect the demographics of the general population. Stratification by age and sex were most common (64% of studies), followed by region (48%). 52% of studies reported seroprevalence at a single time point. Overall, 27 unique assay combinations were identified, 55% of studies used a single assay and only 39% adjusted seroprevalence rates for imperfect test characteristics. Among the eight nationally representative studies case detection was most underrepresented in Kenya (1:1264). Conclusion: As of December 11, 2020, 79% of studies reported seroprevalence rates <10%; thresholds far from reaching herd immunity. In addition to differences in community transmission and diverse public health policies, study designs and methodology were likely contributing factors to seroprevalence heterogeneity.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

Mapping Evidence Of Patient-centered Care For Persons Living With Hiv: A Protocol For A Systematic Scoping Review

10.21203/rs.2.18216/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Delarise Mulqueeny ◽

Manduleli Herald Pokiya ◽

Praba Naidoo

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Hiv Treatment ◽

World Health ◽

Hiv Care ◽

Future Research ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Keywords Hiv ◽

Persons Living With Hiv ◽

Living With Hiv

Abstract Background: The Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a global, chronic health challenge that warrants a multidimensional approach to treatment and care. Notwithstanding the strides made in suppressing the virus, evidence illustrates challenges in persons living with HIV (PLHIV) experiences of treatment and care. Such experiences threaten HIV patients’ retention, adherence, mortality, comorbidities and the global community’s efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. A patient-centred approach (PCC) to HIV care and treatment could improve patients’ health care experiences, wellbeing, retention and adherence and strengthen patient-provider relationships, Hence, the aim of this scoping review is to comprehensively map existing evidence of PCC in HIV treatment and care. Additionally, the review will identify and describe gaps that could inform future research and interventional programmes or the need for systematic reviews. Methods and analysis: As HIV PCC is a broad topic, a systematic scoping review, that includes peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature will be conducted. Online databases: (Google scholar, Scopus, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO via ProQuest, PsycARTICLES via ProQuest, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) via ProQuest, UNAIDS databases will be accessed. Humanitarian databases such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will also be accessed to identify literature on PCC for PLHIV. Such literature will be published between 2009 and 2019. Two reviewers will independently extract data from relevant search engines, utilising specific inclusion and exclusion standards. Thereafter thematic content analysis will be performed, and a narrative account of the findings will be presented. Discussion: As this is a scoping review, no ethical approval is required. Once the review is completed all summarized data will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, at national and international conferences, clinical settings and to policy makers. This is aimed at improving PLHIV’s experiences in clinical settings, practice and care. Keywords: HIV, patient-centred care, patient experiences, ART programme; ARVS; patients

Download Full-text

Type and use of digital technology in learning health systems: a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026204 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. e026204

Author(s):

Lysanne Lessard ◽

Agnes Grudniewicz ◽

Antoine Sauré ◽

Agnieszka Szczotka ◽

James King ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Systems ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Digital Technology ◽

Technology Use ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Review Protocol

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.

Download Full-text