Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group guidance series-paper 1: introduction

Synthesis of guidance available for assessing methodological quality and grading of evidence from qualitative research to inform clinical recommendations: a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVE

To understand (1) what guidance exists to assess the methodological quality of qualitative research; (2) what methods exist to grade levels of evidence from qualitative research to inform recommendations within European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR).

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed in multiple databases including PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, COCHRANE and PsycINFO, from inception to 23 October 2020. Eligible studies included primary articles and guideline documents available in English, describing the: (1) development; (2) application of validated tools (eg, checklists); (3) guidance on assessing methodological quality of qualitative research and (4) guidance on grading levels of qualitative evidence. A narrative synthesis was conducted to identify key similarities between included studies.

RESULTS

Of 9073 records retrieved, 51 went through to full-manuscript review, with 15 selected for inclusion. Six articles described methodological tools to assess the quality of qualitative research. The tools evaluated research design, recruitment, ethical rigour, data collection and analysis. Seven articles described one approach, focusing on four key components to determine how much confidence to place in findings from systematic reviews of qualitative research. Two articles focused on grading levels of clinical recommendations based on qualitative evidence; one described a qualitative evidence hierarchy, and another a research pyramid.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of consensus on the use of tools, checklists and approaches suitable for appraising the methodological quality of qualitative research and the grading of qualitative evidence to inform clinical practice. This work is expected to facilitate the inclusion of qualitative evidence in the process of developing recommendations at EULAR level.

Understanding the Factors That Contribute to Creating a Collaborative Psychological Formulation: A Qualitative Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

Creating a formulation is one of the key competencies of a clinical psychologist and is understood to be important for guiding therapeutic input and understanding client distress. However, client experience of formulations can vary, with some reporting it is unhelpful and distressing. This novel review explores the experiences of clinicians and clients when creating a formulation, specifically the barriers and facilitators to collaborating on a formulation. This ultimately aims to improve client experience and engagement in formulation.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and EMBASE was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO. This search was conducted using terms related to 'psychological formulation' and 'experience'. Nineteen qualitative papers met inclusion criteria and were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. Findings that pertained to formulation were thematically synthesised.

RESULTS

Three analytical themes were identified: toleration of the formulation process-'a necessary evil', which highlights the potential emotional impact of formulation on the client and indicates the importance of responding to client readiness and expectations of formulation; development of the therapeutic relationship-'it's like a two way thing, isn't it?', which suggests that client empowerment, adapting to client needs and clinicians creating a safe and containing environment facilitated the formulation process; systemic factors-'walking a tightrope', which highlights the constraints of resources and team dynamics in therapists' ability to engage in collaborative formulation.

CONCLUSION

Facilitators to a collaborative formulation include the following: simple formulations, thorough assessment and preparation for formulation, 'doing with' activities such as timelines and diagrams and working environments that include supportive colleagues and time for reflection and training.

Community-Partnered Research appraisal tool for conducting, reporting and assessing community-based research

Objective The aim of this study was to develop an appraisal tool to support and promote clear, accurate and transparent standards and consistency when conducting, reporting and assessing community-based research. Design Current recommendations for developing reporting guidelines was used with three key differences: (1) an analysis of existing guides, principles and published literature about community engagement, involvement and participation in research using situational and relational maps; (2) feedback and pilot-testing by a community-based research team; and (3) testing the utility and usability of the appraisal tool. Results After a series of iterative revisions, the resulting Community-Partnered Research (CPR) appraisal tool emerged into three products: an elaborate prospective format, a basic retrospective format, and a supplemental checklist format. All three versions of the CPR appraisal tool consist of 11 main question items with corresponding prompts aimed to facilitate awareness, accountability, and transparency about processes and practices employed by professional researchers and community co-researchers throughout four phases of research: (1) partnership and planning, (2) methods, (3) results and (4) sustainment. Conclusion We hope that introducing this tool will contribute to shifting individual and systematic processes and practices towards equitable partnerships, mutual trustworthiness and empowerment among professional researchers and community co-researchers and, in turn, improving the quality of co-created knowledge that benefits communities and creates social change.

[Introduction to qualitative evidence synthesis - Variants and application]

Qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) are still uncommon in German rehabilitation research, although robust syntheses of qualitative evidence may lead to more strongly scientifically based decisions in health care. This article introduces the topic of qualitative evidence synthesis by describing three different synthesis methods - thematic synthesis, meta-ethnography, and grounded theory synthesis - and illustrating them with examples from rehabilitation research. This is followed by guidance on selecting the appropriate QES-method and reflections on the challenges of QES that are associated with the literature search and quality assessment of the studies to be included in the synthesis. Likewise considerations on quality criteria and their application are taken into account. GRADE-CERQual provides guidance for assessing confidence of findings from QES. Finally the value of QES for rehabilitation research is discussed.

Community health workers for health systems resilience during COVID-19: protocol for qualitative evidence synthesis

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 exposed the fragility of health systems, where even the most basic health services in high-income and low-income and middle-income nations could not withstand the health systems shock due to the pandemic. Community health workers (CHWs) can contribute to improving the resilience of health systems, specifically to withstand shocks and emergencies and to avoid disruptions of routine service delivery. We aim to explore and understand the 'individual' and 'systems-level' resilience factors that shaped the involvement of CHWs in the COVID-19 response.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search five electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL and SciELO (Spanish)) and conduct citation screening to identify studies on CHWs' response during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two review authors will independently screen the studies for inclusion and to extract data. The software Rayyan will be used to assist in screening the relevant literature. A thematic analysis approach will be followed to analyse and synthesise the qualitative evidence. The quality of the included studies will be critically assessed using the Critical Skills Appraisal Programme Tool. We will use the GRADE CERQual(Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations - Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research) approach to assess certainty in the synthesised findings of the qualitative evidence.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study will be conducted on published evidence, with no living participants; thus, no ethical approval is required. The final review will be submitted and published in a peer-reviewed journal. We will also develop a policy brief to communicate the review findings to the stakeholders.

Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 7: Qualitative evidence synthesis for emerging themes in primary care research: Scoping review, meta-ethnography and rapid realist review

This article, the seventh in a series aiming to provide practical guidance for qualitative research in primary care, introduces qualitative synthesis research for addressing health themes in primary care research. Qualitative synthesis combines rigorous processes and authorial judgement to present the collective meaning of research outputs; the findings of qualitative studies - and sometimes mixed-methods and quantitative research - are pooled. We describe three exemplary designs: the scoping review, the meta-ethnography and the rapid realist review. Scoping reviews aim to provide an overview of the evidence/knowledge or to answer questions regarding the nature and diversity of the evidence/knowledge available. Meta-ethnographies intend to systematically compare data from primary qualitative studies to identify and develop new overarching concepts, theories, and models. Rapid realist reviews aim to provide a knowledge synthesis by looking at complex questions while responding to time-sensitive and emerging issues. It addresses the question, 'what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and how?'We discuss these three designs' context, what, why, when and how. We provide examples of published studies and sources for further reading, including manuals and guidelines for conducting and reporting these studies. Finally, we discuss attention points for the research team concerning the involvement of necessary experts and stakeholders and choices to be made during the research process.

A meta-ethnography of how children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their families experience and understand their condition, pain services, and treatments

BACKGROUND

Chronic non-cancer pain in childhood is widespread, affecting 20% to 35% of children and young people worldwide. For a sizeable number of children, chronic non-cancer pain has considerable negative impacts on their lives and quality of life, and leads to increased use of healthcare services and medication. In many countries, there are few services for managing children's chronic non-cancer pain, with many services being inadequate. Fourteen Cochrane Reviews assessing the effects of pharmacological, psychological, psychosocial, dietary or physical activity interventions for managing children's chronic non-cancer pain identified a lack of high-quality evidence to inform pain management. To design and deliver services and interventions that meet the needs of patients and their families, we need to understand how children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families experience pain, their views of services and treatments for chronic pain, and which outcomes are important to them.

OBJECTIVES

1. To synthesise qualitative studies that examine the experiences and perceptions of children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families regarding chronic non-cancer pain, treatments and services to inform the design and delivery of health and social care services, interventions and future research. 2. To explore whether our review findings help to explain the results of Cochrane Reviews of intervention effects of treatments for children's chronic non-cancer pain. 3. To determine if programme theories and outcomes of interventions match children and their families' views of desired treatments and outcomes. 4. To use our findings to inform the selection and design of patient-reported outcome measures for use in chronic non-cancer pain studies and interventions and care provision to children and their families. The review questions are: 1. How do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families conceptualise chronic pain? 2. How do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families live with chronic pain? 3. What do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families think of how health and social care services respond to and manage their child's chronic pain? 4. What do children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families conceptualise as 'good' chronic pain management and what do they want to achieve from chronic pain management interventions and services?

SEARCH METHODS

Review strategy: we comprehensively searched 12 bibliographic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo and grey literature sources, and conducted supplementary searches in 2020. We updated the database searches in September 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

To identify published and unpublished qualitative research with children aged 3 months to 18 years with chronic non-cancer pain and their families focusing on their perceptions, experiences and views of chronic pain, services and treatments. The final inclusion criteria were agreed with a patient and public involvement group of children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their families.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis using meta-ethnography, a seven-phase, systematic, interpretive, inductive methodology that takes into account the contexts and meanings of the original studies. We assessed the richness of eligible studies and purposively sampled rich studies ensuring they addressed the review questions. Cochrane Qualitative Methods Implementation Group guidance guided sampling. We assessed the methodological limitations of studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. We extracted data on study aims, focus, characteristics and conceptual findings from study reports using NVivo software. We compared these study data to determine how the studies related to one another and grouped studies by pain conditions for synthesis. We used meta-ethnography to synthesise each group of studies separately before synthesising them all together. Analysis and interpretation of studies involved children with chronic non-cancer pain and their families and has resulted in theory to inform service design and delivery. Sampling, organising studies for synthesis, and analysis and interpretation involved our patient and public involvement group who contributed throughout the conduct of the review. We used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach to assess our confidence in each review finding. We used a matrix approach to integrate our findings with existing Cochrane Reviews on treatment effectiveness for children's chronic non-cancer pain.

MAIN RESULTS

We synthesised 43 studies sampled from 170 eligible studies reported in 182 publications. Included studies involved 633 participants. GRADE-CERQual assessments of findings were mostly high (n = 21, 58%) or moderate (n = 12, 33%) confidence with three (8%) low or very low confidence. Poorly managed, moderate or severe chronic non-cancer pain had profound adverse impacts on family dynamics and relationships; family members' emotions, well-being, autonomy and sense of self-identity; parenting strategies; friendships and socialising; children's education and future employment prospects; and parental employment. Most children and parents understood chronic non-cancer pain as having an underlying biological cause and wanted curative treatment. However, families had difficulties seeking and obtaining support from health services to manage their child's pain and its impacts. Children and parents felt that healthcare professionals did not always listen to their experiences and expertise, or believe the child's pain. Some families repeatedly visited health services seeking a diagnosis and cure. Over time, some children and families gave up hope of effective treatment. Outcomes measured within trials and Cochrane Reviews of intervention effects did not include some outcomes of importance to children and families, including impacts of pain on the whole family and absence of pain. Cochrane Reviews have mainly neglected a holistic biopsychosocial approach, which specifies the interrelatedness of biological, psychological and social aspects of illness, when selecting outcome measures and considering how chronic pain management interventions work.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We had high or moderate confidence in the evidence contributing to most review findings. Further research, especially into families' experiences of treatments and services, could strengthen the evidence for low or very low confidence findings. Future research should also explore families' experiences in low- to middle-income contexts; of pain treatments including opioid use in children, which remains controversial; and of social care services. We need development and testing of family-centred interventions and services acceptable to families. Future trials of children's chronic non-cancer pain interventions should include family-centred outcomes.

Refugees and asylum seekers who have experienced trauma: Thematic synthesis of therapeutic boundary considerations

OBJECTIVE

Therapeutic boundaries are limits to appropriate behaviours within a therapist-client relationship (e.g. related to accepting gifts, self-disclosures, therapist neutrality and advocacy). Therapeutic boundary considerations are fundamental in the care of refugees and asylum seekers. Research on the experiences of therapists navigating such boundaries is sparse and warrants further exploration. The aim of this qualitative systematic review was to thematically synthesise literature regarding therapists' (psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors) experiences of implementing flexible therapeutic boundaries with refugee and asylum seeker clients and determine how such applications have been helpful for therapeutic interventions.

METHOD

Six databases were searched. Following full-text screening, 21 papers were included in the analysis. Boundary theory underpinned the analysis.

RESULTS

Three major themes were developed: (i) Changes to Therapeutic Practice & Therapeutic Intervention, (ii) Re-Conceptualisation of Therapy as 'Clinical Political' and Re-Conceptualisation of Therapist Identity and (iii) Careful Monitoring of Personal Boundaries-Not becoming 'Hardened' or 'Haunted'. Papers described how, when used in a reflective, considerate way, flexible therapeutic boundaries can strengthen the therapist-client alliance and positively impact therapeutic interventions. Many therapists acknowledged making conscious efforts to re-conceptualise therapeutic work with refugee and asylum seeker clients from advocacy standpoints. However, systemic constraints, and lack of guidance, made this difficult to navigate and contributed to therapist burn-out.

CONCLUSIONS

Boundary considerations manifested as interpersonal, structural and cultural changes to practice. These have implications for clinical practice and developing guidelines on boundary practices with refugees and asylum seekers. Future research should explore promoting therapist well-being and training needs for therapists supporting this population.

Caregiver perceptions of nutrition interventions in infants and children under 24 months of age: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Efficacy studies show early nutrition interventions improving infant nutrition status, but understanding caregiver acceptability is required for implementation of such interventions. This systematic review examines caregivers' perceptions of nutrition interventions in young children.

DESIGN

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsychINFO from date of online journal inception through December 2020. Interventions included oral (powder/liquid/tablet) and/or intravenous supplementation, food fortification and nutrition counselling. Inclusion criteria included primary research, data presented on caregiver perception and studies published in English. Quality assessment was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Studies underwent narrative synthesis using inductive thematic analysis.

SETTING

No restriction.

PARTICIPANTS

Caregivers of children under 24 months of age.

RESULTS

Of 11 798 records identified, thirty-seven publications were included. Interventions included oral supplementation, food fortification and nutrition counselling. Caregivers included mothers (83 %), fathers, grandparents and aunts. Perceptions were gathered through individual interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaires, surveys and ratings. Totally, 89 % of studies noted high acceptability (n 33 most notably increased appetite (n 17). In total, 57 % of studies (n 21) cited low acceptability, commonly from side effects (n 13) such as gastrointestinal issues, appetite loss and stained teeth.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive perceptions and enthusiasm for interventions were frequently reported. Key to implementation was the increased appetite noted by caregivers. A substantial proportion of studies reported negative perceptions, mainly due to side effects. In future interventions, mitigation and education around common side effects are crucial for acceptability. Understanding both positive and negative caregiver perceptions is important for informing future nutrition interventions and strengthening sustainability and implementation.

Ultrafiltration versus Diuretics on Prognostic Cardiac and Renal Biomarkers in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Existing systematic reviews have insufficiently delineated the differing cardiac and renal profile of ultrafiltration compared to diuretics as a method of decongestion in acute decompensated heart failure. This meta-analysis will investigate the impact of ultrafiltration compared to diuretics on prognostic cardiac and renal biomarkers. We searched PubMed Central, Ovid MEDLINE^®, Ovid Embase, all EBM reviews, and Web of Science Core Collection for randomised controlled trials published before 21 July 2022. Our main outcome measures were cardiac (brain natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) and renal biomarkers (serum creatinine, serum sodium, and blood urea nitrogen). A total of 10 randomised trials were included in our analysis after screening. An inverse-variance random effects meta-analysis of the pooled results demonstrated no significant difference between ultrafiltration and diuretics for brain natriuretic peptide, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, creatinine, sodium and long-term blood urea nitrogen. However, ultrafiltration produced statistically greater increases in blood urea nitrogen in the short-term (mean difference, 3.88; 95% confidence interval 0.59-7.17 mg/dL). Overall, ultrafiltration produces a similar impact on prognostic cardiac and renal biomarkers when compared to diuretic therapy. We highlight ultrafiltration's significant impact on short-term BUN and recommend further research to investigate more optimal protocols of ultrafiltration administration.

Living with migraine: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Introduction

Migraine is one of the top ten causes of disability worldwide. However, migraine is still underrated in society, and the quality of care for this disease is scant. Qualitative research allows for giving voice to people and understanding the impact of their disease through their experience of it. This study aims at synthesising the state of the art of qualitative studies focused on how people with migraine experience their life and pathology.

Methods

MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library were consulted up to November 2021 for qualitative studies. Studies to be eligible had to focus on adults (age > 18 years) with a diagnosis of primary episodic or chronic migraine following the International Classification of Headache. The quality of the study was analysed using the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) tool. The synthesis was done through a thematic analysis. CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach was used to assess the confidence in retrieved evidence.

Results

Ten studies were included, counting 262 people with migraine. Our synthesis produced four main themes. (1) “Negative impact of migraine symptoms on overall life” as migraine negatively impacts people's whole life. (2) “Impact of migraine on family, work and social relationship” as migraine reduces the possibility to focus at work and interact with people. (3) “Impact of migraine on emotional health” as people with migraine experience psychological distress. (4) “Coping strategies to deal with migraine” such as keep on living one's own life, no matter the symptoms.

Conclusions

Migraine negatively impacts people's whole life, from private to social and work sphere. People with migraine feel stigmatised as others struggle with understanding their condition. Hence, it is necessary to improve awareness among society of this disabling condition, and the quality of care of these people, tackling this disease from a social and health-policy point of view.

Pathways connecting socioeconomic marginalization and overdose: A qualitative narrative synthesis

PURPOSE

This qualitative narrative synthesis sought to identify pathways connecting socioeconomic marginalization (SEM) and overdose for people who use drugs.

METHODS

We included studies with qualitative examination of SEM and fatal and non-fatal overdose published in English between 2000 and 2021. Studies were systematically identified and screened by searching MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Cochrane Drug and Alcohol Group (CDAG) Specialized Registry, citations, and contacting experts. Risk of bias and quality assessments were performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research approach. Data were synthesized using a thematic synthesis approach.

RESULTS

The primary search strategy found 5909 articles that met the initial screening criteria. The review and screening process led to a final dataset of 27 qualitative articles. The four key findings of this narrative synthesis revealed aspects of SEM which shaped drug poisoning risk for people who use drugs: (1) resource insufficiency, labor market exclusion and deindustrialization, (2) homelessness and housing, (3) policing, criminalization, and interactions with emergency services, and (4) gendered and racialized dimensions of inequality. Findings led to creating a typology that includes material, behavioral, psychological, social, and environmental pathways that contain multiple mechanisms connecting SEM to overdose. This review revealed reciprocal connections between overdose and SEM via institutional pathways with reinforcing mechanisms, and interrelationships present within and between pathways. Quality assessments indicated moderate confidence in three of four findings (Findings 2,3, and 4 above) and high confidence in one finding (Finding 1).

CONCLUSION

SEM is strongly linked to drug poisoning, and the mechanisms establishing these connections can be classified within four pathways. The interconnectedness of these mechanisms can lead to intensification of overdose risk and reinforcement of SEM itself.

“I Always Knew I Was Different”: Experiences of Receiving a Diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood—a Meta-Ethnographic Systematic Review

A broadening of diagnostic criteria and increased awareness of autism has led to a large number of individuals whose difficulties remained undetected until adulthood. This systematic review aimed to synthesise empirical evidence of the experience of individuals who received their diagnosis of autism in adulthood. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. A meta-ethnographic approach was used to synthesise the findings. Analysis revealed two meta-themes: feeling “like an alien” and the “not guilty” verdict, each with three associated subthemes. The findings indicate the need for timely diagnosis and provision of post-diagnostic support to alleviate the mental health implications of not having a framework to understand one’s experiences and to support the process of adjustment to the diagnosis.

Multidisciplinary ecosystem to study lifecourse determinants and prevention of early-onset burdensome multimorbidity (MELD-B) - protocol for a research collaboration

Background

Most people living with multiple long-term condition multimorbidity (MLTC-M) are under 65 (defined as 'early onset'). Earlier and greater accrual of long-term conditions (LTCs) may be influenced by the timing and nature of exposure to key risk factors, wider determinants or other LTCs at different life stages. We have established a research collaboration titled 'MELD-B' to understand how wider determinants, sentinel conditions (the first LTC in the lifecourse) and LTC accrual sequence affect risk of early-onset, burdensome MLTC-M, and to inform prevention interventions.

Aim

Our aim is to identify critical periods in the lifecourse for prevention of early-onset, burdensome MLTC-M, identified through the analysis of birth cohorts and electronic health records, including artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced analyses.

Design

We will develop deeper understanding of 'burdensomeness' and 'complexity' through a qualitative evidence synthesis and a consensus study. Using safe data environments for analyses across large, representative routine healthcare datasets and birth cohorts, we will apply AI methods to identify early-onset, burdensome MLTC-M clusters and sentinel conditions, develop semi-supervised learning to match individuals across datasets, identify determinants of burdensome clusters, and model trajectories of LTC and burden accrual. We will characterise early-life (under 18 years) risk factors for early-onset, burdensome MLTC-M and sentinel conditions. Finally, using AI and causal inference modelling, we will model potential 'preventable moments', defined as time periods in the life course where there is an opportunity for intervention on risk factors and early determinants to prevent the development of MLTC-M. Patient and public involvement is integrated throughout.

Exploring experiences and needs of perinatal women in digital healthcare: A meta-ethnography of qualitative evidence

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to identify, appraise, and synthesize the available qualitative evidence on the experiences and needs of perinatal women by using digital technologies in healthcare.

METHODS

This review was consolidated following the eMERGe meta-ethnography reporting guidance. We conducted a comprehensive search in eight databases from inception to 12 October 2021. Published and unpublished qualitative and mixed-method studies published in English were included. The methodological quality was assessed using the critical appraisal skill program checklist. A meta-ethnographic synthesis was used according to Noblit and Hare's seven-step iterative process.

RESULTS

A total of 3,843 articles were retrieved, and 27 qualitative studies pertaining to 3,775 perinatal women from 13 countries across different ethnicities were included. Four overarching themes emerged for the aspect of experiences: (1) normalization of experience, (2) attainment of valuable knowledge, (3) empowerment and self-confidence boosting, and (4) beneficial features of digital platforms. For the aspect of needs, the derived themes included the following: (1) necessity of credible resources, (2) importance of personalization, (3) concern about cybersecurity, and (4) urging additional support. Our line-of-argument for interpreting the perinatal women's experiences can offer a much greater engagement in digital healthcare, while the findings on the perinatal women's needs can add value for improving the design of digital healthcare in the future.

CONCLUSION

This review offers a deeper understanding of the perinatal women's experiences and needs when using digital technologies in healthcare. Our findings provide meaningful recommendations for clinical practice and future research.

Key Stakeholders' Experiences and Perceptions of Virtual Reality for Older Adults Living With Dementia: Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis

BACKGROUND

Technology is increasingly being used and evolving in the dementia care landscape. One such technology that has gained traction over the last decade is virtual reality (VR). VR is being applied in many areas of dementia care, including cognitive assessment and training, reminiscence therapy, music therapy, and other recreational VR applications. Despite the plethora of applications, they are often not shaped by the experiences and perceptions of older adults living with dementia. Currently, there is no qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) to explore this area. This review aimed to provide qualitative evidence supporting existing systematic reviews in this area.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this QES was to explore key stakeholders' experiences and perceptions of VR for older adults living with dementia. It aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to VR use and provide recommendations for future design and implementation.

METHODS

QES was used, which involved a systematic search of 6 databases to identify studies that qualitatively explored key stakeholders' experiences and perceptions of VR for older adults living with dementia. Thematic synthesis was used to integrate the findings of 14 studies (from 15 reports). The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The confidence placed in the review findings was assessed using the GRADE-CERQUAL (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research).

RESULTS

A total of 15 reports from 14 studies were included in the review, consisting of a range of levels of VR immersion, stages of dementia, and care contexts. Three analytical themes were generated: stepping into virtuality, a virtual world, and returning to reality. The results indicate the importance of sensitively designing and introducing VR to this population, as older adults living with dementia often have no prior experience of using this technology. VR can be a positive experience for older adults living with dementia and can provide meaningful interactions, positive expressions, and long-term impacts on everyday functioning. However, it should be acknowledged that some negative associations must be accounted for before, during, and after use.

CONCLUSIONS

This review highlights the positive implications as well as negative associations of VR use. It emphasizes the need for VR design and implementation driven by the needs and views of older adults living with dementia as well as with other key stakeholders. Future research needs to explore the vital role that older adults living with dementia can play in the design process and how they can be empowered to meaningfully design and use this technology.

Qualitative Review on Domains of Quality of Life Important for Patients, Social Care Users, and Informal Carers to Inform the Development of the EQ-HWB

OBJECTIVES

To identify the themes to inform the content of a new generic measure, the EQ-HWB (EQ Health and Wellbeing), that can be used in economic evaluation across health, social care, and public health, based on the views of users and beneficiaries of these services including informal carers.

METHODS

A qualitative review was undertaken. Systematic and citation searches were undertaken focusing on qualitative evidence of the impact on quality of life from reviews for selected health conditions, informal carers, social care users, and primary qualitative work used in the development of selected measures. A subset of studies was included in the review. Framework analysis and synthesis were undertaken based on a conceptual model.

RESULTS

A total of 42 reviews and 24 primary studies were selected for inclusion in the review. Extraction and synthesis resulted in 7 high-level themes (with subthemes): (1) feelings and emotions (sadness, anxiety, hope, frustration, safety, guilt/shame); (2) cognition (concentration, memory, confusion, thinking clearly); (3) self-identity (dignity/respect, self-esteem); (4) "coping, autonomy, and control" relationships; (5) social connections (loneliness, social engagement, stigma, support, friendship, belonging, burden); (6) physical sensations (pain, discomfort, sleep, fatigue); and (7) activity (self-care, meaningful activities, mobility, communication, hearing, vision). Apart from physical sensations, most of the other themes and subthemes were relevant across both health and social care, including for informal carers.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this broad review identified themes that go beyond health and that are relevant to patients, informal carers, and social care users. The themes and subthemes informed the domains for the EQ-HWB.

Parental terminal cancer and dependent children: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

When a parent has terminal cancer, their children are part of that experience. Parents often want to protect their children from their disease and prognosis. Knowledge of dependent children's experience will help ensure they receive appropriate support. To date, there is lack of synthesis of this evidence examining children's perspectives.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically search and synthesise the qualitative literature exploring the experiences of dependent children when their parent has terminal cancer.

METHODS

Databases of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Assia and the Cochrane library were searched systematically from inception to July 2020 to determine eligible studies. Included studies were appraised for quality and thematically synthesised using Thomas and Harden's thematic synthesis framework.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included, which interviewed children about their experiences (n=654 children aged 4-18 years at the time of parental death), from six countries. Five descriptive themes were identified, further categorised into two broad themes: (1) finding out about parental cancer and its impact on the family and (2) coping with life with parental cancer, death and beyond.

CONCLUSION

Children want to be involved in their parent's cancer experience and to help support the family. Healthcare professionals are ideally placed to support and encourage parents to include their children. They should reassure parents that children can cope well and that maintaining normality will help, and explain the benefits of honest and open communication and how they can include dependent children from diagnosis and beyond.

What Are the Common Themes of Physician Resilience? A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

In the practice of medicine, resilience has gained attention as on of the ways to address burnout. Qualitative studies have explored the concept of physician resilience in several contexts. However, individual qualitative studies have limited generalizability, making it difficult to understand the resilience concept in a wider context. This study aims to develop a concept of resilience in the context of physicians' experience through a meta-synthesis of relevant qualitative studies. Using a predetermined search strategy, we identified nine qualitative studies among 450 participants that reported themes of resilience in developed and developing countries, various specialties, and stages of training. We utilized the meta-ethnography method to generate themes and a line-of-argument synthesis. We identified six key themes of resilience: tenacity, resources, reflective ability, coping skills, control, and growth. The line-of-argument synthesis identified resilient physicians as individuals who are determined in their undertakings, have control in their professional lives, reflect on adversity, utilize adaptive coping strategies, and believe that adversity provides an opportunity for growth. Resilient physicians are supported by individual and organizational resources that include nurturing work culture, teamwork, and support from the medical community and at home. Our findings suggest that resilience in physicians is dynamic and must be supported not only by physician-directed interventions but also by organization-directed interventions.

The perspectives of patients and their caregivers on self-management interventions for chronic conditions: a protocol for a mixed-methods overview

Introduction: Self-management (SM) interventions are complex interventions and one of the main components of high-quality chronic disease care for which the incorporation of the perspectives of patients and their informal caregivers is crucial. We aim to identify, appraise and synthesise the evidence exploring patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives on SM interventions. More precisely, we aim to 1) describe how they value the importance of outcomes of SM interventions, and 2) identify the factors that might impact on acceptability and feasibility of SM interventions based on their preferences and experiences. Methods and analysis: We will conduct four mixed-methods overviews as part of COMPAR-EU, a European Union (EU) funded project aimed to identify the most effective and cost-effective SM interventions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure (HF), obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We will search in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for systematic reviews of studies addressing patients’ preferences on outcomes, or their experiences with SM alongside their disease trajectory or with SM interventions, published in English. Selection of studies and data extraction will be conducted in pairs. We will assess the overlap of studies and methodological quality. We will follow a three-step synthesis process: 1) narrative synthesis for quantitative evidence, 2) thematic synthesis for qualitative evidence, and 3) integration of findings in the interpretation phase. Additionally, we will consult on the relevance of findings with patients and their caregivers. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42019117867

A systematic scoping review of published qualitative research pertaining to the field of perioperative anesthesiology

Purpose

Qualitative research (QR) take advantage of a wide range of methods and theoretical frameworks to explore people’s beliefs, perspectives, experiences, and behaviours and has been applied to many areas of healthcare. The aim of this review was to explore how QR has contributed to the field of perioperative anesthesiology.

Source

We performed a systematic scoping review of published QR studies pertaining to the field of perioperative anesthesiology in three databases (CINAHL, Pubmed, and Embase), published between January 2000 and June 2018. We extracted data regarding publication and researchers’ characteristics, main study objectives, and methodological details. Descriptive statistics were generated for each data extraction category.

Principal findings

A total of 107 articles fulfilled our inclusion criteria. We identified 13 main research topics addressed by the included studies. Topics such as “patient safety,” “barriers to evidence-base medicine,” “patient experiences under local/regional anesthesia,” “training in practice,” “experiences of care,” and “implementation of changes in clinical practice” were commonly tackled. Others, such as “interprofessional communication”, “work environment,” and “patients’/healthcare professionals’ interactions” were less common. Qualitative research was often poorly reported and methodological details were frequently missing.

Conclusion

Qualitative research has been used to explore an array of issues in perioperative anesthesiology. Some areas may benefit from further primary research, such as interprofessional communication or patient-centred care, while other areas may deserve a detailed systematic knowledge synthesis. We identified suboptimal reporting of qualitative methods and their link to study findings. Increased attention to quality criteria and reporting standards in QR is called for.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12630-021-02106-y.

General population perspectives of dementia risk reduction and the implications for intervention: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence

BACKGROUND

Evidence for the potential prevention of dementia through lifestyle risk factor modification is growing and has prompted examination of implementation approaches. Understanding the general population's perspectives regarding dementia risk reduction is key to implementation. This may provide useful insights into more effective and efficient ways to help people change relevant beliefs, motivations and behaviour patterns. We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence to develop an integrated model of general population dementia risk reduction perspectives and the implications for intervention in research and implementation contexts.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We searched electronic databases, supplemented by lateral search techniques, to identify studies published since 1995 reporting qualitative dementia risk reduction perspectives of the non-expert general population who do not have dementia. Thematic synthesis, incorporating an expert panel discussion, was used to identify overarching themes and develop an integrated model to guide intervention to support individuals to adopt and maintain dementia risk reduction behaviour patterns. Quality of included studies and confidence in review findings were systematically appraised. We included 50 papers, reflecting the views of more than 4,500 individuals. Main themes were: 1) The need for effective education about a complex topic to prevent confusion and facilitate understanding and empowerment; 2) Personally relevant short- and long-term benefits of dementia risk reduction behaviour patterns can generate value and facilitate action; 3) Individuals benefit from trusted, reliable and sensitive support to convert understanding to personal commitment to relevant behaviour change; 4) Choice, control and relevant self-regulatory supports help individuals take-action and direct their own progress; 5) Collaborative and empowering social opportunities can facilitate and propagate dementia risk reduction behaviour change; 6) Individual behaviour patterns occur in social contexts that influence beliefs through heuristic processes and need to be understood. Findings indicate that, for intervention: 1) education is key, but both content and delivery need to be tailored; 2) complementary interventions to support self-regulation mechanisms and social processes will increase education effectiveness; 3) co-design principles should guide intervention design and delivery processes; 4) all interventions need to be supported by context-specific data.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and thematic synthesis provides a comprehensive, integrated model of the dementia risk reduction perspectives of the general population and intervention approaches to support behaviour change that can be applied in clinical trial and real-world implementation settings. Findings extend existing knowledge and may assist more effective intervention design and delivery.

Barriers and facilitators to shared decision-making in hospitals from policy to practice: a systematic review

Background

Involving patients in their healthcare using shared decision-making (SDM) is promoted through policy and research, yet its implementation in routine practice remains slow. Research into SDM has stemmed from primary and secondary care contexts, and research into the implementation of SDM in tertiary care settings has not been systematically reviewed. Furthermore, perspectives on SDM beyond those of patients and their treating clinicians may add insights into the implementation of SDM. This systematic review aimed to review literature exploring barriers and facilitators to implementing SDM in hospital settings from multiple stakeholder perspectives.

Methods

The search strategy focused on peer-reviewed qualitative studies with the primary aim of identifying barriers and facilitators to implementing SDM in hospital (tertiary care) settings. Studies from the perspective of patients, clinicians, health service administrators, and decision makers, government policy makers, and other stakeholders (for example researchers) were eligible for inclusion. Reported qualitative results were mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to identify behavioural barriers and facilitators to SDM.

Results

Titles and abstracts of 8724 articles were screened and 520 were reviewed in full text. Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria. Most studies (n = 12) were conducted in the last four years; only four reported perspectives in addition to the patient-clinician dyad. In mapping results to the TDF, the dominant themes were Environmental Context and Resources, Social/Professional Role and Identity, Knowledge and Skills, and Beliefs about Capabilities. A wide range of barriers and facilitators across individual, organisational, and system levels were reported. Barriers specific to the hospital setting included noisy and busy ward environments and a lack of private spaces in which to conduct SDM conversations.

Conclusions

SDM implementation research in hospital settings appears to be a young field. Future research should build on studies examining perspectives beyond the clinician-patient dyad and further consider the role of organisational- and system-level factors. Organisations wishing to implement SDM in hospital settings should also consider factors specific to tertiary care settings in addition to addressing their organisational and individual SDM needs.

Trial Registration

The protocol for the review is registered on the Open Science Framework and can be found at https://osf.io/da645/, DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/DA645.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13012-021-01142-y.

The experiences of trained breastfeeding support providers that influence how breastfeeding support is practised: A protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

Many women stop breastfeeding before they intend to as they cannot overcome breastfeeding difficulties. Breastfeeding support, as an evidence-based intervention by trained lay or professional breastfeeding support providers, can prevent early unintended cessation. Yet some women report dissatisfaction with support and reluctantly stop breastfeeding despite receiving this intervention. Understanding the experiences which shape how support is provided can inform effective implementation of breastfeeding support interventions. This review aims to synthesise experiences of trained breastfeeding support providers in high income settings and how these may influence their breastfeeding support practices.

METHODS

A qualitative systematic review of trained breastfeeding supporters' experiences of supporting women to breastfeed, as part of a generic healthcare role or focused breastfeeding support role, will be conducted. A systematic search will be performed of the databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL +), MEDLINE ALL, Maternity and Infant Care, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus. Title and abstract screening using eligibility criteria will be conducted using Covidence software. Eligible papers will be agreed by the review team following full text screening and reported using PRISMA guidelines. CASP and COREQ tools will assess study methodological quality and quality of reporting. Data will be extracted using a bespoke form and coded, using Excel software for data management. Analysis will involve the three stages of thematic synthesis: initial free coding, development of descriptive and subsequent analytical themes. Confidence in findings will be assessed using the CERQual framework.

DISCUSSION

This review is the first to date to synthesise qualitative evidence on experiences which influence how trained lay and professional providers support women with breastfeeding. Findings will enable deeper understanding of the underpinning mechanisms of breastfeeding support provision and inform the development of tailored interventions to improve breastfeeding rates.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020207380.

Birth and death notification via mobile devices: a mixed methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

Ministries of health, donors, and other decision-makers are exploring how they can use mobile technologies to acquire accurate and timely statistics on births and deaths. These stakeholders have called for evidence-based guidance on this topic. This review was carried out to support World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening.

OBJECTIVES

Primary objective: To assess the effects of birth notification and death notification via a mobile device, compared to standard practice. Secondary objectives: To describe the range of strategies used to implement birth and death notification via mobile devices and identify factors influencing the implementation of birth and death notification via mobile devices.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, the Global Health Library, and POPLINE (August 2, 2019). We searched two trial registries (August 2, 2019). We also searched Epistemonikos for related systematic reviews and potentially eligible primary studies (August 27, 2019). We conducted a grey literature search using mHealthevidence.org (August 15, 2017) and issued a call for papers through popular digital health communities of practice. Finally, we conducted citation searches of included studies in Web of Science and Google Scholar (May 15, 2020). We searched for studies published after 2000 in any language.  SELECTION CRITERIA: For the primary objective, we included individual and cluster-randomised trials; cross-over and stepped-wedge study designs; controlled before-after studies, provided they have at least two intervention sites and two control sites; and interrupted time series studies. For the secondary objectives, we included any study design, either quantitative, qualitative, or descriptive, that aimed to describe current strategies for birth and death notification via mobile devices; or to explore factors that influence the implementation of these strategies, including studies of acceptability or feasibility. For the primary objective, we included studies that compared birth and death notification via mobile devices with standard practice. For the secondary objectives, we included studies of birth and death notification via mobile device as long as we could extract data relevant to our secondary objectives. We included studies of all cadres of healthcare providers, including lay health workers; administrative, managerial, and supervisory staff; focal individuals at the village or community level; children whose births were being notified and their parents/caregivers; and individuals whose deaths were being notified and their relatives/caregivers.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

For the primary objective, two authors independently screened all records, extracted data from the included studies and assessed risk of bias. For the analyses of the primary objective, we reported means and proportions, where appropriate. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of the evidence and we prepared a 'Summary of Findings' table. For the secondary objectives, two authors screened all records, one author extracted data from the included studies and assessed methodological limitations using the WEIRD tool and a second author checked the data and assessments. We carried out a framework analysis using the Supporting the Use of Research Evidence (SURE) framework to identify themes in the data. We used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach to assess our confidence in the evidence and we prepared a 'Summary of Qualitative Findings' table.

MAIN RESULTS

For the primary objective, we included one study, which used a controlled before-after study design. The study was conducted in Lao People's Democratic Republic and assessed the effect of using mobile devices for birth notification on outcomes related to coverage and timeliness of Hepatitis B vaccination. However, we are uncertain of the effect of this approach on these outcomes because the certainty of this evidence was assessed as very low. The included study did not assess resource use or unintended consequences. For the primary objective, we did not identify any studies using mobile devices for death notification. For the secondary objective, we included 21 studies. All studies were conducted in low- or middle-income settings. They focussed on identification of births and deaths in rural, remote, or marginalised populations who are typically under-represented in civil registration processes or traditionally seen as having poor access to health services. The review identified several factors that could influence the implementation of birth-death notification via mobile device. These factors were tied to the health system, the person responsible for notifying, the community and families; and include: - Geographic barriers that could prevent people's access to birth-death notification and post-notification services - Access to health workers and other notifiers with enough training, supervision, support, and incentives - Monitoring systems that ensure the quality and timeliness of the birth and death data - Legal frameworks that allow births and deaths to be notified by mobile device and by different types of notifiers - Community awareness of the need to register births and deaths - Socio-cultural norms around birth and death - Government commitment - Cost to the system, to health workers and to families - Access to electricity and network connectivity, and compatibility with existing systems - Systems that protect data confidentiality We have low to moderate confidence in these findings. This was mainly because of concerns about methodological limitations and data adequacy.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We need more, well-designed studies of the effect of birth and death notification via mobile devices and on factors that may influence its implementation.

Barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based guidelines in long-term care: a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

The long-term care setting poses unique challenges and opportunities for effective knowledge translation. The objectives of this review are to (1) synthesize barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based guidelines in long-term care, as defined as a home where residents require 24-h nursing care, and 50% of the population is over the age of 65 years; and (2) map barriers and facilitators to the Behaviour Change Wheel framework to inform theory-guided knowledge translation strategies.

METHODS

Following the guidance of the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group Guidance Series and the ENTREQ reporting guidelines, we systematically reviewed the reported experiences of long-term care staff on implementing evidence-based guidelines into practice. MEDLINE Pubmed, EMBASE Ovid, and CINAHL were searched from the earliest date available until May 2021. Two independent reviewers selected primary studies for inclusion if they were conducted in long-term care and reported the perspective or experiences of long-term care staff with implementing an evidence-based practice guideline about health conditions. Appraisal of the included studies was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist and confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual approach.

FINDINGS

After screening 2680 abstracts, we retrieved 115 full-text articles; 33 of these articles met the inclusion criteria. Barriers included time constraints and inadequate staffing, cost and lack of resources, and lack of teamwork and organizational support. Facilitators included leadership and champions, well-designed strategies, protocols, and resources, and adequate services, resources, and time. The most frequent Behaviour Change Wheel components were physical and social opportunity and psychological capability. We concluded moderate or high confidence in all but one of our review findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Future knowledge translation strategies to implement guidelines in long-term care should target physical and social opportunity and psychological capability, and include interventions such as environmental restructuring, training, and education.

Performance of conceptual framework elements for the retrieval of qualitative health literature: a case study

Objective

A growing volume of studies address methods for performing systematic reviews of qualitative studies. One such methodological aspect is the conceptual framework used to structure the review question and plan the search strategy for locating relevant studies. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the retrieval potential of each element of conceptual frameworks in qualitative systematic reviews in the health sciences.

Methods

The presence of elements from conceptual frameworks in publication titles, abstracts, and controlled vocabulary in CINAHL and PubMed was analyzed using a set of qualitative reviews and their included studies as a gold standard. Using a sample of 101 publications, we determined whether particular publications could be retrieved if a specific element from the conceptual framework was used in the search strategy.

Results

We found that the relative recall of conceptual framework elements varied considerably, with higher recall for patient/population (99%) and research type (97%) and lower recall for intervention/phenomenon of interest (74%), outcome (79%), and context (61%).

Conclusion

The use of patient/population and research type elements had high relative recall for qualitative studies. However, other elements should be used with great care due to lower relative recall.

Patients' experiences of delirium: A systematic review and meta-summary of qualitative research

AIMS

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-summary was the aggregation of the empirical qualitative literature on patients' experiences of delirium in order to support the development and implementation of patient-oriented delirium management and to guide future research.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic literature review of qualitative research published between January 1980 and June 2019.

DATA SOURCES

In June 2019, we searched in Medline, CINAHL, SSCI and PsycInfo to identify relevant reports. In addition, we conducted searches in three dissertation databases (BASE, DART and ProQuest) and Google Scholar.

REVIEW METHODS

We used methods developed by Sandelowski and Barroso to construct a meta-summary of the findings by extracting them from the reports, abstracting them into meta- findings and calculating their manifest interstudy frequency effect sizes.

RESULTS

Out of the 742 identified records, 24 reports based on delirium experience accounts of 483 patients met our criteria and were included. One thousand ninety-seven findings were extracted from these reports and abstracted into 92 meta-findings. These were grouped to the five emerging themes 'perception', 'emotions', 'interaction with others', 'dealing with delirium' and 'influence on further life'.

CONCLUSION

Delirium is commonly perceived as an overall distressing condition, which can accompany and influence patients even after hospital discharge.

IMPACT

This systematic review and meta-summary is the most comprehensive aggregation of qualitative research of the patient delirium experience to date. It allows us to better understand, extract meaning from, and weigh the qualitative findings in their context by calculating their manifest frequency effect sizes. This can be used to support the development and implementation of delirium management concepts.

Understanding children and young people's experiences pursuing weight loss maintenance using the Socio-ecological Model: A qualitative systematic literature review

Developing a broader understanding of children and young people's experiences of long-term attempts of weight management may provide insight into both enablers and barriers to successful weight loss maintenance. This review aims to explore children and young people's perceptions of long-term attempts of weight management. Six databases were searched for qualitative studies describing young participants (<25 years, previously or currently above a healthy weight) experiences of weight management for >6 months following intentional weight loss. A thematic synthesis was undertaken. Themes were interpreted using the Socio-ecological Model. Factors supporting attempts to maintain weight loss included having clear motivation for change; developing personal skills to manage the challenges of change; family support/dynamics that encourage healthy lifestyles; and health-promoting cultures in schools/workplaces, communities, and the broader living environment. Conversely, ambivalence, difficulty coping with changes, peer pressure, challenging family dynamics, limited professional support, and unhealthy living environments were barriers to maintaining behavior change. These facilitators and barriers at each level of the Socio-ecological Model informed a model of weight loss maintenance for children and young people. Supporting children, young people, and families to develop the skills to manage the individual, social, and environmental challenges that shape attempts of long-term weight management will help to support their ability to manage their weight long term.

Study protocol of a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis using two different approaches: Healthcare related needs and desires of older people with post-stroke aphasia

INTRODUCTION

Stroke is a frequent disease in the older population of Western Europe with aphasia as a common consequence. Aphasia is known to impede targeting treatment to individual patients' needs and therefore may reduce treatment success. In Germany, the postacute care of patients who had stroke is provided by different healthcare institutions of different sectors (rehabilitation, nursing and primary care) with substantial difficulties to coordinate services. We will conduct two qualitative evidence syntheses (QESs) aiming at exploring distinct healthcare needs and desires of older people living with poststroke aphasia. We thereby hope to support the development of integrated care models based on needs of patients who are very restricted to communicate them. Since various methods of QESs exist, the aim of the study embedding the two QESs was to determine if findings differ according to the approach used.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will conduct two QESs by using metaethnography (ME) and thematic synthesis (ThS) independently to synthesise the findings of primary qualitative studies. The main differences between these two methods are the underlying epistemologies (idealism (ME) vs realism (ThS)) and the type of research question (emerging (ME) vs fixed (ThS)).We will search seven bibliographical databases. Inclusion criteria comprise: patients with poststroke aphasia, aged 65 years and older, studies in German/English, all types of qualitative studies concerning needs and desires related to healthcare or the healthcare system. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, follows Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines and includes three items from the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the synthesis of Qualitative Research checklist.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented on national conferences.

Systematic review of the methodological literature for integrating qualitative evidence syntheses into health guideline development

Guidelines produced by local, national and international bodies underpin clinical practice and healthcare services worldwide. For guidelines to be based on the best available evidence, it is critical that syntheses of both qualitative and quantitative evidence are used to inform decision-making. As methods for qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) develop, they are increasingly able to inform health guideline production. However, the process whereby this form of evidence is considered and incorporated tends to be unclear. This systematic review synthesized existing guidance concerning the use of QES in guideline development. Sources published in English that described or prescribed methods for incorporating QES into evidence-based health guidelines were eligible for inclusion. Seventeen relevant papers were identified. The literature indicates that there is a reasonable consensus about many stages of conducting a QES to inform guideline development. Areas needing further exploration include: the way that committees engage with QES; the usefulness of different QES methodologies; and understanding of how expert committees use evidence. Methods for producing QES for guideline committees tend to be similar to quantitative systematic review methods in terms of searching, quality appraisal, systematic management of data, and presentation of results. While this allows transparency and accountability, it could be argued that it is less "true" to the principles of being led by the data, which are fundamental to most qualitative research. Understanding the process of using QES to produce guidelines is critical to determining their validity and applicability, and to ensure that healthcare provision is based on the best available evidence.

Quality of life following a lower limb reconstructive procedure: a protocol for the development of a conceptual framework

INTRODUCTION

Lower limb conditions requiring reconstructive surgery can be either congenital or acquired from trauma, infection or other medical conditions. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are often used by healthcare professionals to assess the impact of a patient's condition (and treatment) on quality of life. However, we are not aware of any measures developed specifically for people requiring lower limb reconstructive surgery. Consequently, it is not clear the extent to which current PROMs accurately and specifically measure the outcomes that are important to these patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The 'PROLLIT' (Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Lower Limb Reconstruction) involves three phases: to explore what is important to patients with regard to quality of life (phase 1), ascertain whether current measures adequately capture these experiences (phase 2) and if not begin, the development of a new PROM (phase 3). The population of interest is people requiring, undergoing or after undergoing reconstructive surgery for a lower limb condition. In this paper, we describe phase 1, which aims to develop a conceptual framework to identify and map what is important to this group with regard to social interactions, employment, perceived health and quality of life after condition onset/injury and throughout recovery. The conceptual framework will be developed through three steps: (step A) a qualitative evidence synthesis, (step B) a qualitative study with patients and staff to explore patient's views and experiences of lower limb reconstructive surgery and (step C) a round table discussion with key stakeholders where findings from step A and step B will be brought together and used to finalise the conceptual framework.

ETHICS CONSIDERATION AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval has been granted for the qualitative data collection (step B) from South Central Berkshire Research Ethics committee (REF:20/SC/0114). Findings from steps A and B will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication in academic journals, and presented at academic conferences.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019139587.

ISRCTN REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN75201623.

Framing the process in the implementation of care for people with generalized anxiety disorder in primary care: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Background

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in primary care (PC). GAD has low remission and high relapse rates over long follow-up periods. Qualitative evidence was synthesized to understand the implementation of care and treatment options for people with GAD in PC.

Methods

Research published from 2008 to September 2020 was searched in five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, WOS and PsycArticles). Studies that used qualitative methods for data collection and analysis to investigate the implementation of care and treatment options for people with GAD in PC and outpatient settings were included. Non-qualitative studies, mixed methods studies that did not separately report qualitative findings and studies in languages other than English or Spanish were excluded. We used the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (CERQual) framework to assess the overall confidence in the findings.

Results

The results with a moderate level of confidence showed that the trajectory of care for people with GAD in PC and outpatient settings is long and fluctuates over time, involving multiple difficulties in accessing and maintaining initial treatment or successive treatment options. In addition, there are wide variations in the preferences for and acceptability of different treatment options. The results with a high level of confidence indicated that more information on GAD and its treatment options is needed for PC practitioners, GAD patients and their carers. The results with a low level of confidence suggested that patients use antidepressants for longer than recommended and that the interruption of treatment is not usually planned.

Conclusions

Initial resistance to new treatments among people with GAD can make access and adherence to treatment difficult. Improving care may require patients to be informed of possible trajectories in stepped care pathways before the initiation of treatment so they are aware that they may need to try a number of options until the most effective treatment for them is found. Increased awareness of and information materials on GAD may facilitate both appropriate diagnosis and long-term care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-020-01307-6.

Interventions to support the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic: a mixed methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

Evidence from disease epidemics shows that healthcare workers are at risk of developing short- and long-term mental health problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned about the potential negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the mental well-being of health and social care professionals. Symptoms of mental health problems commonly include depression, anxiety, stress, and additional cognitive and social problems; these can impact on function in the workplace. The mental health and resilience (ability to cope with the negative effects of stress) of frontline health and social care professionals ('frontline workers' in this review) could be supported during disease epidemics by workplace interventions, interventions to support basic daily needs, psychological support interventions, pharmacological interventions, or a combination of any or all of these.

OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: to assess the effects of interventions aimed at supporting the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic. Objective 2: to identify barriers and facilitators that may impact on the implementation of interventions aimed at supporting the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic.

SEARCH METHODS

On 28 May 2020 we searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Global Index Medicus databases and WHO Institutional Repository for Information Sharing. We also searched ongoing trials registers and Google Scholar. We ran all searches from the year 2002 onwards, with no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included studies in which participants were health and social care professionals working at the front line during infectious disease outbreaks, categorised as epidemics or pandemics by WHO, from 2002 onwards. For objective 1 we included quantitative evidence from randomised trials, non-randomised trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted time series studies, which investigated the effect of any intervention to support mental health or resilience, compared to no intervention, standard care, placebo or attention control intervention, or other active interventions. For objective 2 we included qualitative evidence from studies that described barriers and facilitators to the implementation of interventions. Outcomes critical to this review were general mental health and resilience. Additional outcomes included psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress; burnout; other mental health disorders; workplace staffing; and adverse events arising from interventions.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Pairs of review authors independently applied selection criteria to abstracts and full papers, with disagreements resolved through discussion. One review author systematically extracted data, cross-checked by a second review author. For objective 1, we assessed risk of bias of studies of effectiveness using the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool. For objective 2, we assessed methodological limitations using either the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) qualitative study tool, for qualitative studies, or WEIRD (Ways of Evaluating Important and Relevant Data) tool, for descriptive studies. We planned meta-analyses of pairwise comparisons for outcomes if direct evidence were available. Two review authors extracted evidence relating to barriers and facilitators to implementation, organised these around the domains of the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research, and used the GRADE-CERQual approach to assess confidence in each finding. We planned to produce an overarching synthesis, bringing quantitative and qualitative findings together.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 16 studies that reported implementation of an intervention aimed at supporting the resilience or mental health of frontline workers during disease outbreaks (severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): 2; Ebola: 9; Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS): 1; COVID-19: 4). Interventions studied included workplace interventions, such as training, structure and communication (6 studies); psychological support interventions, such as counselling and psychology services (8 studies); and multifaceted interventions (2 studies). Objective 1: a mixed-methods study that incorporated a cluster-randomised trial, investigating the effect of a work-based intervention, provided very low-certainty evidence about the effect of training frontline healthcare workers to deliver psychological first aid on a measure of burnout. Objective 2: we included all 16 studies in our qualitative evidence synthesis; we classified seven as qualitative and nine as descriptive studies. We identified 17 key findings from multiple barriers and facilitators reported in studies. We did not have high confidence in any of the findings; we had moderate confidence in six findings and low to very low confidence in 11 findings. We are moderately confident that the following two factors were barriers to intervention implementation: frontline workers, or the organisations in which they worked, not being fully aware of what they needed to support their mental well-being; and a lack of equipment, staff time or skills needed for an intervention. We are moderately confident that the following three factors were facilitators of intervention implementation: interventions that could be adapted for local needs; having effective communication, both formally and socially; and having positive, safe and supportive learning environments for frontline workers. We are moderately confident that the knowledge or beliefs, or both, that people have about an intervention can act as either barriers or facilitators to implementation of the intervention.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is a lack of both quantitative and qualitative evidence from studies carried out during or after disease epidemics and pandemics that can inform the selection of interventions that are beneficial to the resilience and mental health of frontline workers. Alternative sources of evidence (e.g. from other healthcare crises, and general evidence about interventions that support mental well-being) could therefore be used to inform decision making. When selecting interventions aimed at supporting frontline workers' mental health, organisational, social, personal, and psychological factors may all be important. Research to determine the effectiveness of interventions is a high priority. The COVID-19 pandemic provides unique opportunities for robust evaluation of interventions. Future studies must be developed with appropriately rigorous planning, including development, peer review and transparent reporting of research protocols, following guidance and standards for best practice, and with appropriate length of follow-up. Factors that may act as barriers and facilitators to implementation of interventions should be considered during the planning of future research and when selecting interventions to deliver within local settings.

Factors that impact on recruitment to randomised trials in health care: a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

Randomised trials (also referred to as 'randomised controlled trials' or 'trials') are the optimal way to minimise bias in evaluating the effects of competing treatments, therapies and innovations in health care. It is important to achieve the required sample size for a trial, otherwise trialists may not be able to draw conclusive results leading to research waste and raising ethical questions about trial participation. The reasons why potential participants may accept or decline participation are multifaceted. Yet, the evidence of effectiveness of interventions to improve recruitment to trials is not substantial and fails to recognise these individual decision-making processes. It is important to synthesise the experiences and perceptions of those invited to participate in randomised trials to better inform recruitment strategies.

OBJECTIVES

To explore potential trial participants' views and experiences of the recruitment process for participation. The specific objectives are to describe potential participants' perceptions and experiences of accepting or declining to participate in trials, to explore barriers and facilitators to trial participation, and to explore to what extent barriers and facilitators identified are addressed by strategies to improve recruitment evaluated in previous reviews of the effects of interventions including a Cochrane Methodology Review.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Epistemonikos, LILACS, PsycINFO, ORRCA, and grey literature sources. We ran the most recent set of searches for which the results were incorporated into the review in July 2017.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included qualitative and mixed-methods studies (with an identifiable qualitative component) that explored potential trial participants' experiences and perceptions of being invited to participate in a trial. We excluded studies that focused only on recruiters' perspectives, and trials solely involving children under 18 years, or adults who were assessed as having impaired mental capacity.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Five review authors independently assessed the titles, abstracts and full texts identified by the search. We used the CART (completeness, accuracy, relevance, timeliness) criteria to exclude studies that had limited focus on the phenomenon of interest. We used QSR NVivo to extract and manage the data. We assessed methodological limitations using the Critical Skills Appraisal Programme (CASP) tool. We used thematic synthesis to analyse and synthesise the evidence. This provided analytical themes and a conceptual model. We used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach to assess our confidence in each finding. Our findings were integrated with two previous intervention effectiveness reviews by juxtaposing the quantitative and qualitative findings in a matrix.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 29 studies (published in 30 papers) in our synthesis. Twenty-two key findings were produced under three broad themes (with six subthemes) to capture the experience of being invited to participate in a trial and making the decision whether to participate. Most of these findings had moderate to high confidence. We identified factors from the trial itself that influenced participation. These included how trial information was communicated, and elements of the trial such as the time commitment that might be considered burdensome. The second theme related to personal factors such as how other people can influence the individual's decision; and how a personal understanding of potential harms and benefits could impact on the decision. Finally, the potential benefits of participation were found to be key to the decision to participate, namely personal benefits such as access to new treatments, but also the chance to make a difference and help others. The conceptual model we developed presents the decision-making process as a gauge and the factors that influence whether the person will, or will not, take part.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative evidence synthesis has provided comprehensive insight into the complexity of factors that influence a person's decision whether to participate in a trial. We developed key questions that trialists can ask when developing their recruitment strategy. In addition, our conceptual model emphasises the need for participant-centred approaches to recruitment. We demonstrated moderate to high level confidence in our findings, which in some way can be attributed to the large volume of highly relevant studies in this field. We recommend that these insights be used to direct or influence or underpin future recruitment strategies that are developed in a participant-driven way that ultimately improves trial conduct and reduces research waste.

A qualitative evaluation of Pesky gNATs in primary care - The experiences of assistant psychologists providing computer-assisted CBT to children experiencing low mood and anxiety

INTRODUCTION

Technology-assisted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is recognized as an evidence-based and cost-effective way to address psychological difficulties in children. Increasingly, these interventions are provided by staff with different levels of psychological training, such as assistant psychologists (APs). However, there is limited qualitative understanding regarding their experiences of providing technology-assisted CBT.

METHOD

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with APs (n = 14) in primary care settings in Ireland. This qualitative evaluation is part of an ongoing RCT for the CBT game Pesky gNATs (O'Reilly and Coyle, 2015). All data were inductively analysed using qualitative thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke (2006).

RESULTS

Five overarching themes were identified: 1) positive experiences, 2) integrating Pesky gNATs with traditional CBT, 3) managing parental 'buy-in', 4) implementation complexities, and 5) future perspectives. Two subthemes were reported for each overarching theme: benefits for children, AP professional growth, facilitating engagement, different child characteristics, unclear role for parents, child autonomy, managing waitlists, external factors, design considerations and advice to future APs.

CONCLUSIONS

Pesky gNATs is well-received by APs in primary care, and is mostly experienced as helpful by both APs and children. However, a number of factors may be impacting the ability of APs to effectively provide the intervention.

Optimising the value of the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) tool for quality appraisal in qualitative evidence synthesis

The value of qualitative evidence synthesis for informing healthcare policy and practice within evidence-based medicine is increasingly recognised. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding how to judge the methodological quality of qualitative studies being synthesised and debates around the extent to which such assessment is possible and appropriate. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool is the most commonly used tool for quality appraisal in health-related qualitative evidence syntheses, with endorsement from the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group. The tool is recommended for novice qualitative researchers, but there is little existing guidance on its application. This article considers issues related to the suitability and usability of the CASP tool for quality appraisal in qualitative evidence synthesis in order to support and improve future appraisal exercises framed by the tool. We reflect on our practical experience of using the tool in a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis. We discuss why it is worth considering a study’s underlying theoretical, ontological and epistemological framework and how this could be incorporated into the tool by way of a novel question. We consider how particular features of the tool may impact its interpretation, the appraisal results and the subsequent synthesis. We discuss how to use quality appraisal results to inform the next stages of evidence synthesis and present a novel approach to organising the synthesis, whereby studies deemed to be of higher quality contribute relatively more to the synthesis. We propose tool modifications, user guidance, and areas for future methodological research.

Health Promoting School Interventions in Latin America: A Systematic Review Protocol on the Dimensions of the RE-AIM Framework

Understanding the dimensions of internal and external validities (e.g., using the RE-AIM model: Reach, Effectiveness/Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) of school interventions is important to guide research and practice in this context. The aim of this systematic review protocol is to synthesize evidence on the RE-AIM dimensions in interventions based on the Health Promoting School (HPS) approach from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Latin America. Studies of interventions based on HPS-WHO that were carried out in Latin America involving the population of 5 to 18-year-olds will be eligible. Searches in nine electronic databases, a study repository, the gray literature, and the retrieved articles' reference lists will be performed, without year or publication language limits. Study selection and data extraction will be conducted by independent researchers. Data on intervention implementation will be summarized in categories of HPS-WHO actions: (1) school curriculum, (2) changes in the social and/or physical environment of schools, and (3) actions with families and the community. A previously validated tool will be used to summarize the information on the dimensions of the RE-AIM model. The strengths and limitations of the included studies will be evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool, and the confidence level of evidence will be assessed according to the GRADE CERQual tool.

The use of technology in creating individualized, meaningful activities for people living with dementia: A systematic review

There is a growing interest in using technology to provide meaningful activities for people living with dementia. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and explore the different types of digital technologies used in creating individualized, meaningful activities for people living with dementia. From 1414 articles identified from searches in four databases, 29 articles were included in the review. The inclusion criteria were the study used digital technology to deliver an individually tailored activity to participants with dementia, the process of individualization was described, and findings relating to the mental, physical, social, and/or emotional well-being of the participant were reported. Data extracted from the included studies included participant demographics, aims, methods, and outcomes. The following information on the technology was also extracted: purpose, type, training, facilitation, and the individualization process. A narrative synthesis of the results grouped the various technologies into four main purposes: reminiscence/memory support, behavior management, stimulating engagement, and conversation/communication support. A broad range of technologies were studied, with varying methods of evaluation implemented to assess their effect. Overall, the use of technology in creating individualized, meaningful activities seems to be promising in terms of improving behavior and promoting relationships with others. Furthermore, most studies in this review involved the person with dementia in the individualization process of the technology, indicating that research in this area is adopting a more co-creative and inclusive approach. However, sample sizes of the included studies were small, and there was a lack of standardized outcome measures. Future studies should aim to build a more concrete evidence base by improving the methodological quality of research in this area. Findings from the review indicate that there is also a need for more evidence concerning the feasibility of implementing these technologies into care environments.

Facilitators and barriers to child restraint use in motor vehicles: a qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

Road traffic collisions contribute a significant burden of mortality and morbidity to children globally. The improper or non-use of child restraints can result in children sustaining significant injuries in the event of a collision. Systematic reviews on the effectiveness of various interventions to increase the use of child restraints already exist but to the best of our knowledge, there has been no qualitative evidence syntheses on the facilitators and barriers to child restraint usage. This review aims to fill that gap.

METHODS

We searched for qualitative studies, which focused on perceptions, values and experiences of children, parents/caregivers or any other relevant stakeholders on the use of restraints for children travelling in motor vehicles in PubMed, EMBASE and Global Health and screened reference lists of all included studies. We assessed the quality of included studies with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist and used the PROGRESS Plus lens for an equity focused analysis.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 335 records from searching the databases and five records from other sources. After screening, we identified 17 studies that met our inclusion criteria. All but one study (which had children as participants) focused on the perceptions, attitudes and barriers of parents or caregivers. The included studies were from three high-income (n=14) and one upper-middle income (n=3) country. In addition, although many focused exclusively on participants from culturally and linguistically diverse minorities, the issue of equity was not well addressed. Five major themes emerged from the analysis. (1) perceived risk for injuries and perceived safety benefits of child restraint usage varies in different settings and between different types of caregivers; (2) practical issues around the use of child restraints is a major barrier to its uptake as a child safety measure; (3) restraint use is considered as a mechanism to discipline children rather than as a safety device by parents and as children became older they actively seek opportunities to negotiate the non-usage of restraints; (4) adoption and enforcement of laws shape perceptions and usage in all settings and (5) perceptions and norms of child safety differ among culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

CONCLUSION

The results of this systematic review should be considered when designing interventions to promote the uptake of child restraints. However, there is a need to conduct qualitative research around the facilitators and barriers to child restraint usage in low-income and middle-income countries. Furthermore, there is a need for more evidence conducted in semiurban and rural areas and to involve fathers, policy-makers, implementers and enforcement agencies in such studies.

Postsurgical rehabilitation for adults with low back pain with or without radiculopathy who were treated surgically: protocol for a mixed studies systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Surgical rates for low back pain (LBP) have been increasing in Europe, North America and Asia. Many patients treated surgically will require postsurgical rehabilitation. Little is known about the effectiveness of postsurgical rehabilitation interventions on health outcomes or about patients' experiences with these interventions.

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a mixed studies systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies regarding: (1) the effectiveness and safety of postsurgical rehabilitation interventions for adults with LBP treated surgically and (2) the experiences of patients, healthcare providers, caregivers or others involved with the rehabilitation.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, the Index to Chiropractic Literature, the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials and the Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source for peer-reviewed empirical studies published from inception in any language. Studies using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies will be included. We will also search reference lists of all eligible articles. Data extraction will include type of presurgical pathology, indication for surgery, surgical procedure, how the intervention was delivered and by whom, context and setting. We will conduct a quality assessment of each study and consider study quality in our evidence synthesis. We will use a sequential approach at the review level to synthesise and integrate data. First, we will synthesise the quantitative and qualitative studies independently, conducting a meta-analysis of the quantitative studies if appropriate and thematic synthesis of the qualitative studies. Then, we will integrate the quantitative and qualitative evidence by juxtaposing the findings in a matrix.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required for this knowledge synthesis. Findings will be disseminated through knowledge translation activities including: (1) presentations at national and international conferences and scientific meetings; (2) presentations to local and international stakeholders; (3) publications in peer-reviewed journals and (4) posts on organisational websites.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019134607.

Understanding Implementation of a Digital Self-Monitoring Intervention for Relapse Prevention in Psychosis: Protocol for a Mixed Method Process Evaluation

Background

Relapse is common in people who experience psychosis and is associated with many negative consequences, both societal and personal. People who relapse often exhibit changes (early warning signs [EWS]) in the period before relapse. Successful identification of EWS offers an opportunity for relapse prevention. However, several known barriers impede the use of EWS monitoring approaches. Early signs Monitoring to Prevent relapse in psychosis and prOmote Well-being, Engagement, and Recovery (EMPOWER) is a complex digital intervention that uses a mobile app to enhance the detection and management of self-reported changes in well-being. This is currently being tested in a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. As digital interventions have not been widely used in relapse prevention, little is known about their implementation. Process evaluation studies run in parallel to clinical trials can provide valuable data on intervention feasibility.

Objective

This study aims to transparently describe the protocol for the process evaluation element of the EMPOWER trial. We will focus on the development of a process evaluation framework sensitive to the worldview of service users, mental health staff, and carers; the aims of the process evaluation itself; the proposed studies to address these aims; and a plan for integration of results from separate process evaluation studies into one overall report.

Methods

The overall process evaluation will utilize mixed methods across 6 substudies. Among them, 4 will use qualitative methodologies, 1 will use a mixed methods approach, and 1 will use quantitative methodologies.

Results

The results of all studies will be triangulated into an overall analysis and interpretation of key implementation lessons. EMPOWER was funded in 2016, recruitment finished in January 2018. Data analysis is currently under way and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in December 2019.

Conclusions

The findings from this study will help identify implementation facilitators and barriers to EMPOWER. These insights will inform both upscaling decisions and optimization of a definitive trial.

Trial Registration

ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN99559262; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN99559262

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/15634

Quality of life and well-being from the perspective of patients on opioid agonist maintenance treatment: study protocol for a systematic review of qualitative research and a scoping review of measures

BACKGROUND

Opioid agonist maintenance treatment (OAMT) is a first-line treatment for heroin dependence, but its effectiveness has been assessed primarily through clinical outcomes with a limited attention to patient perspectives. Despite the increased use of patient reported outcome measures their patient-centeredness is highly questionable. This is the protocol of a systematic review of qualitative research on how OAMT users construct the meaning of their quality of life and well-being and a scoping review of instruments that measure these domains.

METHODS

We will conduct a systematic review of qualitative research exploring the views of quality of life of patients on OAMT (registration number CRD42018086490). According pre-specified eligibility criteria, we will include studies from a comprehensive search of bibliographical databases from their inception. We will extract data from included studies and assess their risk of bias with the CASP appraisal criteria, and will implement a thematic analysis to generate a set of interpretative analytical themes ascertaining their confidence using the CERQual approach. We will implement similar methods to conduct a scoping review to assess to what extent the existing measures of these domains were focused on user's views, assessing their validity using the COSMIN methodology, and summarizing their characteristics and level of patient centeredness.

CONCLUSION

The findings from the reviews will contribute to obtain a genuine understanding of the perspective from users on OAMT regarding their perception of well-being and quality of life and will likely lead to greater patient centeredness when assessing such variables, which in turn may contribute to a more patient-centered care.

A qualitative research synthesis of contextual factors contributing to female overweight and obesity over the life course in sub-Saharan Africa

Objective

Adult women are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Existing evidence on the sociocultural context remains unconsolidated. In this qualitative research synthesis, we aggregate research literature on contextual factors that potentially predispose adult women and adolescent girls to overweight and obesity to inform research, policies and programs over the life course.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, ProQuest Central, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched to locate qualitative research articles conducted in SSA countries beginning in the year 2000. After assessment for eligibility and critical appraisal, 17 studies were included in the synthesis. Textual data and quotes were synthesized using meta-aggregation methods proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

Results

The synthesized studies were conducted in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Botswana. The three overarching themes across these studies were body size and shape ideals, barriers to healthy eating, and barriers to physical activity, with cultural and social factors as cross-cutting influences within the major themes. Culturally, the supposedly ideal African woman was expected to be overweight or obese, and voluptuous, and this was associated with their identity. Although being overweight or obese was not acceptable to adolescent girls, they desired to be voluptuous. Healthy food choices among women and adolescent girls were hampered by several factors including affordability of nutritious foods and peer victimization. Both adult women and adolescent girls experienced ageism as a barrier to physical activity.

Significance

This is the first qualitative research synthesis to amplify the voices of women and girls in SSA countries highlighting the challenges they face in maintaining a healthy body weight. Sociocultural, institutional and peer-related factors were powerful forces shaping body size preferences, food choices and participation in physical activity. Our study findings provide insights for the design of contextually appropriate obesity prevention interventions and lay the foundation for further research studies.

Improving care for women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting: qualitative systematic reviews

Background

In a context of high migration, there are growing numbers of women living in the UK who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting. Evidence is needed to understand how best to meet their health-care needs and to shape culturally appropriate service delivery.

Objectives

To undertake two systematic reviews of qualitative evidence to illuminate the experiences, needs, barriers and facilitators around seeking and providing female genital mutilation-/cutting-related health care from the perspectives of (1) women and girls who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (review 1) and (2) health professionals (review 2).

Review methods

The reviews were undertaken separately using a thematic synthesis approach and then combined into an overarching synthesis. Sixteen electronic databases (including grey literature sources) were searched from inception to 31 December 2017 and supplemented by reference list searching. Papers from any Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country with any date and in any language were included (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development membership was considered a proxy for comparable high-income migrant destination countries). Standardised tools were used for quality appraisal and data extraction. Findings were coded and thematically analysed using NVivo 11 (QSR International, Warrington, UK) software. Confidence in the review findings was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation – Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) approach. All review steps involved two or more reviewers and a team that included community-based and clinical experts.

Results

Seventy-eight papers (74 distinct studies) met the inclusion criteria for both reviews: 57 papers in review 1 (n = 18 from the UK), 30 papers in review 2 (n = 5 from the UK) and nine papers common to both. Review 1 comprised 17 descriptive themes synthesised into five analytical themes. Women’s health-care experiences related to female genital mutilation/cutting were shaped by silence and stigma, which hindered care-seeking and access to care, especially for non-pregnant women. Across all countries, women reported emotionally distressing and disempowering care experiences. There was limited awareness of specialist service provision. Good care depended on having a trusting relationship with a culturally sensitive and knowledgeable provider. Review 2 comprised 20 descriptive themes synthesised into six analytical themes. Providers from many settings reported feeling uncomfortable talking about female genital mutilation/cutting, lacking sufficient knowledge and struggling with language barriers. This led to missed opportunities for, and suboptimal management of, female genital mutilation-/cutting-related care. More positive experiences/practices were reported in contexts where there was input from specialists and where there were clear processes to address language barriers and to support timely identification, referral and follow-up.

Limitations

Most studies had an implicit focus on type III female genital mutilation/cutting and on maternity settings, but many studies combined groups or female genital mutilation/cutting types, making it hard to draw conclusions specific to different communities, conditions or contexts. There were no evaluations of service models, there was no research specifically on girls and there was limited evidence on psychological needs.

Conclusions

The evidence suggests that care and communication around female genital mutilation/cutting can pose significant challenges for women and health-care providers. Appropriate models of service delivery include language support, continuity models, clear care pathways (including for mental health and non-pregnant women), specialist provision and community engagement. Routinisation of female genital mutilation/cutting discussions within different health-care settings may be an important strategy to ensure timely entry into, and appropriate receipt of, female genital mutilation-/cutting-related care. Staff training is an ongoing need.

Future work

Future research should evaluate the most-effective models of training and of service delivery.

Study registration

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD420150300012015 (review 1) and PROSPERO CRD420150300042015 (review 2).

Funding

The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) for Guidelines: Paper 3 - Using qualitative evidence syntheses to develop implementation considerations and inform implementation processes

BACKGROUND

This is the third in a series of three papers describing the use of qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) to inform the development of clinical and health systems guidelines. WHO has recognised the need to improve its guideline methodology to ensure that decision-making processes are transparent and evidence based, and that the resulting recommendations are relevant and applicable to end users. In addition to the standard data on effectiveness, WHO guidelines increasingly use evidence derived from QES to provide information on acceptability and feasibility and to develop important implementation considerations.

METHODS

WHO convened a group drawn from the technical teams involved in formulating recent (2010-2018) guidelines employing QES. Using a pragmatic and iterative approach that included feedback from WHO staff and other stakeholders, the group reflected on, discussed and identified key methods and research implications from designing QES and using the resulting findings in guideline development. As members of WHO guideline technical teams, our aim in this paper is to explore how we have used findings from QES to develop implementation considerations for these guidelines.

RESULTS

For each guideline, in addition to using systematic reviews of effectiveness, the technical teams used QES to gather evidence of the acceptability and feasibility of interventions and, in some cases, equity issues and the value people place on different outcomes. This evidence was synthesised using standardised processes. The teams then used the QES to identify implementation considerations combined with other sources of information and input from experts.

CONCLUSIONS

QES were useful sources of information for implementation considerations. However, several issues for further development remain, including whether researchers should use existing health systems frameworks when developing implementation considerations; whether researchers should take confidence in the evidence into account when developing implementation considerations; whether qualitative evidence that reveals implementation challenges should lead guideline panels to make conditional recommendations or only point to implementation considerations; and whether guideline users find it helpful to have challenges pointed out to them or whether they also need solutions. Finally, we need to explore how QES findings can be incorporated into derivative products to aid implementation.

How do women experience a false-positive test result from breast screening? A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

This is the first review to identify, appraise and synthesise women's experiences of having a false-positive breast screening test result.

METHODS

We systematically searched eight databases for qualitative research reporting women's experiences of receiving a false-positive screening test result. Two reviewers independently screened articles. Eight papers reporting seven studies were included. Study quality was appraised. Data were thematically synthesised.

RESULTS

Women passively attended screening in order to prove their perceived good health. Consequently, being recalled was unexpected, shocking and disempowering: women felt without options. They endured great uncertainty and stress and sought clarity about their health (e.g. by scrutinising the wording of recall letters and conversations with healthcare professionals). Their result was accompanied by relief and welcome feelings of certainty about their health, but some received unclear explanations of their result, contributing to lasting breast cancer-related worry and an ongoing need for further reassurance.

CONCLUSION

The organisation of breast screening programmes may constrain choice for women: they became passive recipients. The way healthcare professionals verbally communicate results to women may contribute to lasting breast cancer-related worry. Women need more reassurance, emotional support and answers to their questions before and during screening assessment, and after receiving their result.