Children’s health-related experiences in India: A scoping review

Abstract

Background & Objectives: The perspectives of children have becoming increasingly emphasized in healthcare research and practice in order to facilitate children’s inclusion, participation, and decision-making in matters related to their health. In India, however, little is known about children’s views regarding their health despite the various health challenges and ethical concerns they may face, such as poverty, malnutrition, and gender inequalities. The aim of this scoping review is to explore children’s health-related experiences from their own perspectives in India from 2000 to 2020.   Methods: Five online databases were searched. Three independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion. Included texts were analyzed using thematic synthesis, which involved extracting and descriptively coding data, categorizing/grouping codes by similar topics, and comparing and contrasting topics to generate descriptive themes. The scoping review was reported using the PRISMA-ScR checklist.   Results: Fifty-two articles were included, and five descriptive themes were identified. The articles typically overlapped in themes, which related to children’s health-related experiences (n=38), emotions (n=19), and knowledge (n=15); the impact of illness on children’s lives (n=41); and children’s ability to communicate their needs (n=12).   Interpretation & Conclusions: We identified the need to tailor research designs to better elicit children’s perspectives and provide comprehensive health education for children and families in India. This scoping review helped to highlight gaps in healthcare policy, practice, and research, providing a starting point for more focused investigation into children’s health-related experiences in India.