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Older adults in long-term care (LTC) homes experience complex nutrition-related challenges and care staff are central to supporting nutrition care, eating assistance, and positive mealtime experiences. However, nutrition care education is often inconsistently addressed in staff training. This scoping review mapped the scope, characteristics, and reported the outcome measures of nutrition care education and programs for LTC staff. This review followed JBI methodology and was reported according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO) were searched from May to October 2024, with an updated search in September 2025. Grey literature and reference lists were also searched. Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. Programs varied in content, delivery format, duration, target staff groups, implementation supports, and outcomes. Common outcomes included staff knowledge, confidence, attitudes, eating assistance practices, mealtime environment, feasibility indicators, and selected resident nutrition outcomes. Future research should improve reporting, follow-up, outcome definitions, implementation, feasibility, and continuity.
To examine the impact of one-to-one peer support on mothers’ personal breastfeeding goals.
Design:
Scoping review guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Qualitative data were analysed using descriptive content analysis. Quantitative data were analysed by identifying numerical trends and recurring patterns, and a concise overview of key descriptive findings was provided using frequency counts and proportions.
Setting:
Studies conducted across 10 countries globally, identified through systematic searches of seven electronic databases and screening of reference lists.
Participants:
Thirty-eight studies were included: 20 quantitative, 7 qualitative, 6 mixed-methods, and three secondary analyses (drawing on two relevant primary sources). Participants were mothers who received one-to-one breastfeeding peer support, predominantly in community or home-based settings.
Results:
One primary outcome was assessed: The impact of one-to-one peer support on mothers’ personal breastfeeding goals. Two secondary outcomes were identified. The first examined the effect of one-to-one peer support on breastfeeding outcomes based on traditional measures of breastfeeding success. Of the included studies, 50% reported positive effects of one-to-one peer support on traditional measures of breastfeeding success, while 21% found no statistically significant differences. An additional secondary outcome reported in 34% of the included studies examined the impact of mother-centred breastfeeding peer support on maternal emotional well-being.
Conclusions:
One-to-one peer support enhances the mothers’ ability to achieve their personal breastfeeding goals and positively influences emotional well-being. These findings underscore the need to integrate structured one-to-one peer support into maternal health services in Ireland and globally.
Accurately assessing dietary intake in children and adolescents is essential for understanding dietary patterns and informing public health strategies. In Latin America, rapid nutrition transitions and increasing childhood obesity highlight the need for culturally appropriate, validated dietary assessment tools (DATs). However, methodological challenges and limited regional data hinder effective dietary surveillance. This scoping review identified and characterised DATs used among children and adolescents (5–18 years) in Latin America, examining tool types, features, validation and regional coverage. Following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, comprehensive searches were conducted in EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and LILACS (April 2024) in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Eligible studies included original research developing, validating, or applying DATs in Latin American populations. Of 13,946 records screened, 105 reports met the inclusion criteria. Brazil and Mexico contributed the most studies, while six countries (Paraguay, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, and Belize) had none. Forty-three DATs were identified, 77% of which were food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Half targeted adolescents, 39% children, and 11% both groups. Most were interviewer-administered (58%) and applied in person (49%), with only 19% conducted online, reflecting regional digital limitations. Validation was reported for 70% of tools, primarily against 24 HR. The DAT landscape in Latin America remains dominated by FFQs and traditional administration methods, with limited use of digital platforms. Developing age-appropriate, validated and culturally adapted digital DATs is essential to strengthen dietary surveillance and guide effective nutrition policies across the region.
Scoping reviews are increasingly used for evidence synthesis, yet a comprehensive overview of benchmarks for their conduct is lacking. This study aimed to extract and analyze key metrics of preregistered scoping reviews to aid researchers in planning, resource allocation, methodological rigor, and innovation. We examined 2,038 scoping review protocol registrations on the Open Science Framework between April and August 2024, identifying 891 corresponding publications. Extracted variables included review type (e.g., rapid scoping review), information about the number of studies in the screening process, methodological practices, and funding. Using Stata, we calculated process metrics such as review duration, yield rate, and team composition. Qualitative analysis was applied to further metrics, including aims and eligibility criteria frameworks. Among the 891 publications, 91.47% were published as scoping reviews. On average, reviews involved 6.11 authors and took 80.41 weeks from registration to publication, with rapid scoping reviews completed in 55.63 weeks. Most publications (80.13%) originated from high-income countries, where funding was more common. An average of 5.19 databases were searched, identifying a mean of 6,920.66 potential inclusions, with 92.64 studies ultimately included (yield rate: 5.68%). Endnote was the most frequently employed screening tool. Language restrictions were reported in 37.60% of cases, and 75.42% did not conduct or report critical appraisal. This study provides valuable insights into common practices within scoping review processes, offering researchers a foundation to allocate resources more efficiently and enhance research quality through methodological benchmarks. It underscores the need for greater transparency and improved methodological rigor.
An inclusive mindset is essential for designing for inclusion. However, without a clear understanding of what an inclusive mindset entails, design educators and practitioners may find it difficult to cultivate. This study clarifies what constitutes an inclusive mindset and how it can be fostered in the design field. Through a scoping review of 47 studies, we systematically analysed research domains, types of inclusivity, definitions, associated attributes and factors influencing an inclusive mindset. The outcome is the development of an inclusive mindset model that outlines the core constructs of an inclusive mindset, its determinants and its translation into inclusive behaviour. The model was further refined and validated through interviews with 23 stakeholders in design and engineering education. Together, these insights provide a nuanced understanding of inclusivity and offer an empirically informed framework for advancing inclusion in design research, education and practice.
To explore the current provision of diet and well-being interventions in UK food manufacturing businesses and identify barriers and enablers to implementation.
Design:
A systematic scoping review and UK industry survey were conducted. Five databases were searched (2000–2025), alongside grey literature and open-access case studies. Screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate. Intervention components were mapped to the behaviour change technique (BCT) taxonomy. An online survey (Mar–May 2025) supplemented the review by capturing current practices in UK food and beverage manufacturing. A narrative synthesis was undertaken.
Setting:
Food and/or beverage manufacturing sites.
Results:
Nineteen peer-reviewed studies (UK n 6, 32 %) and twelve case studies met inclusion criteria. Common BCT included ‘association’ (e.g. prompts/cues, 52 %), ‘antecedents’ (e.g. food environment restructuring, 48 %) and ‘shaping knowledge’ (e.g. nutrition education, 37 %). Most evaluations focused on dietary intake (63 %), with 47 % reporting positive changes. Key barriers were at the employee level (e.g. engagement, language and resistance to change; 42 %) and organisational level (e.g. time, staffing, funding, space; 33 %), with 25 % citing both. Survey responses (n 11; 82 % from large organisations) indicated interventions most often targeted ‘antecedents’ (62 %), followed by ‘shaping knowledge’ and ‘association’ (both 21 %). Budget availability and senior management support (both 45 %) were the most cited enablers in the survey.
Conclusion:
Evidence on nutrition and well-being interventions in UK food manufacturing is limited. Addressing implementation barriers may support wider adoption of effective behaviour change strategies.
The role of different forms of inequality in Populist Radical Right (PRR) voting, such as income and health inequalities, is not examined consistently. Therefore we conducted a scoping review aiming to examine whether and why income and health inequalities are associated with PRR voting in Europe. We systematically searched Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect for publications between 2015 and 2024. Eleven studies were ultimately included in our review. Data were extracted and analysed qualitatively. We identified seven studies that support an association between income inequality in PRR voting, while two studies did not find evidence for this relationship. Although no studies examined the role of health inequalities, we found two studies that suggest a role for welfare policies and life dissatisfaction. The overall results offer a more comprehensive understanding of how income inequality is related to PRR voting, highlighting perceived risks of economic, social or cultural loss. Our findings tie theories on social hierarchies to theories on PRR voting. While social hierarchies can lead to health problems related to anxiety and stress, more research is needed to analyse whether and how pre-existing health inequalities contribute to the rise of social hierarchies, institutional distrust and PRR voting.
This review aimed to summarise the nutrition education programmes and interventions that have sought to improve maternal health outcomes. Pregnancy is often considered a ‘teachable moment’ when mothers may be motivated to adopt positive behavioural changes, including improving their nutrition habits. Pregnancy nutrition education is the provision of information and guidance on optimal nutritional practices that aim to support a healthy pregnancy. This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eight electronic databases were searched (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, PsycARTICLES, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete) for studies reporting on nutrition education programmes and interventions with pregnant women. Studies were included based on PICOS criteria, with no limitations on time and study design. Data were extracted and thematically analysed to identify the scope of diet, nutrition knowledge, and maternal outcomes included. This review includes 169 studies, which included various maternal outcomes (gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and anaemia); dietary outcomes; nutritional status; and nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviours. Significant positive results were observed for many health and dietary outcomes, with the exception of prevention of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A range of strategies has been used to deliver nutrition education. This inconsistency makes it challenging to summarise the key components of effective nutrition education and highlights the need for targeted approaches tailored to specific maternal outcomes.
The European Union health technology assessment (HTA) regulation increases pressure on European HTA organizations’ capacity and new domains of expertise continue to emerge quickly in the HTA field. Therefore, this study aimed to identify emerging competencies described in the literature and to update and verify an existing HTA competency framework, encompassing both process-related and domain-specific expertise for conducting HTA.
Methods
Using a scoping review approach, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from 1 January 2018 until 13 May 2024. The websites of HTA-related societies were searched on 22 April 2024. Documents describing competencies for HTA professionals were included. Deductive content analysis of the identified competencies was performed, utilizing the competencies from the original framework.
Results
A total of nineteen documents were included, consisting of six competency frameworks, one handbook, and twelve scientific articles. The identified competencies from these documents mapped appropriately to the original competency framework. New competencies within existing domains that emerged were related to organizational sustainability, patient and public involvement, real-world data, interpreting and developing HTA reports, and stakeholder identification. In addition, three new competency domains were identified, which were artificial intelligence use for HTA, environmental aspects, and performance and achievements.
Conclusions
The newly identified competencies and competency domains highlight emerging areas of expertise for HTA professionals and need to be added to the original competency framework. An updated competency framework can support capacity building efforts and the development of training programs to ensure that HTA professionals are well-equipped to address current healthcare challenges.
Estimating the prevalence of use of substances such as heroin remains a challenge. The aim of this study is to identify the scientific publications in Spain that have used surveys to investigate heroin use, to describe their methodology and to contrast the formulation of the questions with users’ input on key aspects associated with use.
Methods:
A scoping review was conducted until November 2024 in MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE and Web of Science. The review included questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain. Information on study, population, data collection and consumption characteristics was compiled from each included study. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with Spanish heroin current users and ex-users.
Results:
Twenty-nine questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain were identified; none of them were specifically oriented to estimate and characterise heroin use at the population level. Most of the studies focused on specific population groups, mainly drug users, students, or inmates. The majority addressed lifetime, past-year, and past-month use, although users found the past 3 or 6 months more relevant. Few studies explored other use characteristics; however, interviews with heroin ex-users highlighted the importance of factors like route of administration and age of first use.
Conclusions:
The studies identified in this review vary in terms of target population, geographic scope, reference time frame, and data collection methods. Moreover, questionnaires rarely address additional characteristics of use that are considered relevant by former users. This review identifies areas for improvement to guide future studies and refine methodological approaches.
Despite the urgent need for support interventions for families facing parental life-threatening illness, research is limited – particularly in progressive neurological diseases. This scoping review aimed to systematically map existing interventions to inform the development of tailored support in the neurological context.
Methods
A scoping review was conducted, including articles published between 2013 and 2025, identified through searches in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, along with manual screening of reference lists. Extracted data were systematically charted and descriptively summarized.
Results
Of 5172 articles, 15 were included, describing 6 unique interventions aimed at supporting children (0–25 years) and/or parents in families where a parent had a life-threatening illness. While cancer was the predominant diagnosis among ill parents, progressive neurological diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease, were represented to a limited extent. The interventions targeted children (n = 4), parents in their parenting role (n = 4), or the entire family (n = 7) and were primarily based on psychosocial, psychoeducational, or peer support. Overall, the interventions were positively received by both children and parents and perceived as helpful in navigating their challenging life situations in various ways.
Significance of results
This review confirms a particular lack of knowledge and tailored support for families affected by progressive neurological diseases. While support interventions for other life-threatening illnesses are also limited, those that exist may offer valuable insights to inform the development of support within neurological care contexts. The findings underscore the need for early, proactive, and accessible approaches that address both individual and family needs across the disease trajectory, aligning with core principles of high-quality palliative care.
Common perinatal mental health conditions are especially prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and are associated with numerous adverse effects. While complex interventions have been developed and tested, there has been limited exploration of how these interventions can be implemented and sustained at scale. This scoping review aims to explore the strategies discussed for scaling, spreading and sustaining complex perinatal mental health interventions in LMICs. We conducted a systematic search in APA PsycINFO, Cinahl, Medline (EBSCOhost), Embase, MIDIRS (Ovid Online) and ProQuest for reports published between January 2010 and November 2023, using search terms related to scaling innovations, perinatal mental health and LMICs. We also conducted a grey literature search using the websites of organisations that focus on maternal mental health. We identified 42 information sources. Using thematic synthesis, scale, spread and sustainability strategies regarding workforce diversity, integration of health services, tool and method development, adaptation, training, supervision and support and stakeholder engagement were identified. The study identified persistent gaps in the literature around how interventions move beyond early adaptation and implementation phases. These included the need for more consistency and shared understanding around terminology and increased interdisciplinary collaboration, especially drawing on fields such as implementation science. The findings from this review open new avenues for research and policy on expanding perinatal mental health interventions in LMICs, with an emphasis on long-term sustainability and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Cooperatives are built on principles of democracy and equity, yet women continue to be underrepresented in their governance structures. This Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) scoping review synthesizes 25 peer-reviewed empirical studies on factors enabling or hindering women’s participation in cooperative boards. Across studies, individual enablers include qualifications, prior performance, and collaborative leadership, whereas stereotypes, heightened expectations to overperform, and internalized bias constrain access and legitimacy. Organizational enablers include inclusive recruitment, mentoring, and flexible arrangements; barriers include male-dominated cultures, restrictive bylaws, and informal networks. At the environmental level, quota legislation, training initiatives, and support networks can foster change, but weak enforcement and entrenched social norms often limit impact. Anchored in a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) lens, the review argues that advancing gender diversity requires structural and cultural reforms beyond “fix-the-women” approaches, and offers implications for cooperative leaders and policymakers. These insights support efforts to align cooperative governance with SDGs 5, 10, and 16.
The rapid evolution of digital health technologies (DHTs) presents distinct challenges for health technology assessment (HTA). Existing HTA frameworks, largely designed for conventional health interventions, may not sufficiently address these unique complexities. This scoping review provides an overview of existing assessment frameworks for DHTs, analyzing their purpose and the guidance they offer within the domains of the EUnetHTA Core Model.
Methods
The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The literature was identified through searches in PubMed and Embase, covering publications from 2015 to 2024 in English or German, and was complemented by a manual hand search. The studies were screened and analyzed using Covidence, with data categorized inductively based on the EUnetHTA Core Model domains.
Results
Of 3,576 screened records, 15 met inclusion criteria; an additional 45 frameworks were identified through hand searching, resulting in a total of 60 frameworks. Most frameworks focused on digital health applications (68 percent), while only a few addressed technologies such as artificial intelligence (2 percent). The frameworks primarily provide guidance on assessment, with varying focus on evidence requirements. The domains of the EUnetHTA Core Model were variably represented across the frameworks. Technical characteristics were most frequently addressed, while ethical, legal, and organizational domains received limited attention.
Conclusions
This review highlights the diversity of existing frameworks for DHT assessment. This emphasizes the potential relevance of a future standardized framework that contains explanations of the methodological approach to the assessment of DHTs and is modularly customizable depending on the type of technology.
This study aimed to examine how food processing is addressed within indices/tools used to assess healthy and sustainable diets.
Design:
A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR protocol. Peer-reviewed studies developing or applying indices/tools for assessing sustainable diets were included. Two independent reviewers performed the selection, with disagreements resolved by discussion, and, when necessary, a third reviewer was consulted to reach a consensus.
Setting:
The review included studies published in English, Portuguese or Spanish, without time restrictions and indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO databases.
Participants:
A total of fifty-seven studies about sustainable diets were analysed.
Results:
Most studies showed significant gaps in addressing food processing and other food system components when assessing sustainable diets. The majority of studies were conducted in recent years and primarily in high-income countries, and while environmental and health dimensions of sustainability are widely explored, economic and sociocultural dimensions remain underrepresented.
Conclusions:
The assessment of diet sustainability remains incomplete without accounting for the role of food processing and the broader food system. There is a need for comprehensive methodologies that integrate all sustainability dimensions while also considering local contexts, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Approximately 20% of Nigerians experience a mental health condition, yet fewer than 10% receive minimally adequate care. This scoping review synthesises the development, implementation and outcomes of mental health policies in Nigeria from 1916 to 2025. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, systematic searches were conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, AJOL and Google Scholar (inception–December 2024), supplemented by grey literature from governmental and non-governmental sources. The Walt and Gilson Policy Triangle guided the analysis of policy context, content, processes and actors. Nigeria’s policy trajectory demonstrates normative progress, transitioning from custodial approaches under the Lunacy Ordinance (1916) to a rights-based orientation in the Mental Health Act (2023). However, implementation outcomes remain constrained. Workforce expansion has been modest (psychiatrists increased from 250 in 2018 to approximately 350 in 2024), treatment coverage remains low (10–15%) and budget allocation is insufficient (3.3% of the health budget). Barriers include inadequate financing, weak coordination across federal and state levels, limited stakeholder engagement and insufficient integration of community, traditional and faith-based providers. Comparative analysis highlights that Ghana’s autonomous Mental Health Authority, South Africa’s provincial directorates and Kenya’s community health volunteer model provide governance and implementation structures absent in Nigeria. Findings indicate that Nigerian mental health policies, while necessary, are insufficient alone for system strengthening. Effective policy translation requires increased and protected financing (target: 5% of health budget by 2027), task-shifting strategies, establishment of a National Mental Health Information System, federal incentives for state-level adoption, integration into primary healthcare (5,000 PHCs by 2028) and inclusive governance that incorporates service users and traditional healers.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent worry and physical symptoms, with prevalence estimates ranging from 0.8% to 8%. Researchers utilize various tools, such as standardized diagnostic interviews and self-report questionnaires, to estimate GAD prevalence in population-level studies. However, the diagnostic accuracy of these tools varies greatly. This scoping review aimed to identify the tools used for GAD prevalence estimation and assess the extent to which diagnostic tool accuracy is reported.
Methods
A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO using MeSH terms and keywords related to GAD prevalence. No date restrictions were applied. Studies were eligible if they used nationally or regionally representative samples and defined GAD based on DSM-5, ICD-11 or older case definitions. Studies focusing solely on specific sub-groups were excluded. Data extraction included study characteristics, diagnostic tools and reporting of test accuracy.
Results
A total of 537 studies were initially identified, with 48 meeting inclusion criteria, published between 1994 and 2024. Most studies were conducted in Europe (43.75%) and employed cross-sectional designs (92%). Structured diagnostic interviews were the most commonly used tool (77.08%), although self-report questionnaires gained popularity after 2005. Among the included studies, 62.5% reported test accuracy, often addressing validity and reliability.
Conclusions
Despite the widespread use of diagnostic tools in prevalence studies, test accuracy is not consistently reported, which may impact the reliability of prevalence estimates. The variability in agreement between self-report questionnaires and structured diagnostic interviews highlights the need for transparent reporting of test characteristics to improve the validity of GAD prevalence assessments across populations.
The aim of this scoping literature review is to conceptualize Policy Advocacy Effectiveness (PAE) within the sphere of nonprofit advocacy, responding to recent calls for research on NPO advocacy outcomes. We focus our analysis on the criteria and indicators used in empirical studies to measure NPO-driven PAE. Our findings identify five main categories of outcome criteria: policy cycle outcomes, organizational capacity outcomes, constituent outcomes, public salience outcomes and societal outcomes. Each operationalized with a diverse set of indicators that are seldom replicated across our sample. Despite this apparent multi-dimensional conceptualization of PAE throughout the studies, our review reveals a dominant trend toward unidimensional assessments, a focus on policy cycle outcome criteria and a methodological preference for perceptual methods in evaluating PAE. Moreover, our analysis exposes a significant lack of theoretical grounding in the reviewed studies, with minimal integration of political or policy process theories. In light of these findings, this paper advocates for a future research trajectory that could deepen the understanding of PAE. We recommend fully embracing the complexity of PAE, encouraging researchers to adopt a multi-dimensional perspective and to diversify their methodological approaches to enhance the robustness and relevance of PAE-related findings.