Citation Tracking Research Articles

Crowd-funding to promote women entrepreneurship: a systematic literature review of the empirical studies conducted in the last decade (2012–2023)

PurposeIt aims to understand crowdfunding’s effect on women’s entrepreneurship and summarize key findings, methods, and challenges women face in using crowdfunding for financing.Design/methodology/approachThis literature review examines 36 empirical studies on crowdfunding use by women entrepreneurs. It follows the PRISMA framework, using Scopus and citation tracking to categorize studies on crowdfunding’s potential to empower women financially and address their barriers to accessing finance.FindingsThe review identified seven key themes: opportunities and challenges for women in crowdfunding, equity crowdfunding’s potential, gender differences in crowdfunding outcomes, the role of social capital and networks, investor trust and decision-making, the influence of language, communication, and platform design, and the importance of considering intersectionality and context. Crowdfunding offers women entrepreneurs access to capital and helps them overcome traditional financing barriers. Women-led campaigns achieve comparable or even higher success rates compared to their male counterparts. However, under-representation, lower funding requests, pitching difficulties, and limited access to networks remain as challenges.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has limitations inherent to systematic reviews, including potential methodological flaws or biases in the included studies and the exclusion of relevant studies due to time and resource constraints.Practical implicationsCrowdfunding can be promoted as a viable financing option for women entrepreneurs and design targeted initiatives to support them. Building social capital, enhancing financial literacy, and creating networking opportunities can contribute to their success in navigating crowdfunding platforms effectively.Originality/valueThis review offers a comprehensive analysis of empirical studies conducted between 2012 and 2023. It provides up-to-date insights, identifies key themes, and offers actionable recommendations for policymakers and organizations seeking to support women entrepreneurs in effectively accessing and utilizing crowdfunding platforms.

Dance therapy as an intervention for stress and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Currently, no systematic review exists on dance therapy studies for treatment resistant depression. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effects of dance therapy on the primary symptom clusters of treatment resistant depression, that is, co-morbid stress and depression PROSPERO(CRD42022309685), and identify common dance therapy practices in this population. We searched six databases between January 2001 and March 2024 using the primary key terms: ‘dance therapy’, ‘stress’, ‘depression’, ‘study’, ‘treatment resistance’, and ‘adults’. Reference list checks and citation tracking were conducted. The Downs and Black checklist was used to assess risk of bias. Our search yielded 68 records. Five articles were included (N = 613, 91.2% female), and dosage varied between 15 and 24 h over 3–12 weeks. Results indicated an increase in management strategies rather than symptom reduction. Meta-analyses revealed no statistically significant results for stress and depression. Common dance therapy practices were improvisation, shared rhythm, and structured movement.

A Literature Review of the Morphological Variability in the Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot: Traps Awaiting Clinicians during Ultrasound.

Purpose: Like other muscular compartments of the human body, the intrinsic muscles of the foot present considerable morphological variability. The aim of this review was to present variations that can potentially cause problems during surgery but might be detected during an ultrasound examination. Materials and methods: PubMed was searched for relevant articles. The identified papers were listed, and citation tracking was performed. Results: Even though lower limb structure is well studied, the variations associated with the intrinsic muscles of the foot and their related ultrasound examination are not. Conclusions: The muscles and tendons of the foot demonstrate similar degrees of variance as other regions of the human body; however, this subject is not as widely covered in the literature. Further ultrasound studies are needed to build awareness of morphological variability in this region, as the findings could prevent misdiagnosis.

Possible pathophysiologic roles of neurotransmitter systems in men with lifelong premature ejaculation: a scoping review.

Lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) is a subtype of premature ejaculation. Genetic research on LPE has primarily focused on neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, whereas LPE treatment studies have focused on drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, findings from genetic association and pharmacotherapeutic studies have been inconsistent. To provide a quality overview of neurobiological targets that are potentially associated with LPE by investigating genetic association and pharmacotherapeutic studies. This scoping review was conducted per the PRISMA-ScR tool (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews). Five databases were searched in March 2023 without timeline- or language-related restrictions. After deduplication, 3949 records were obtained for review. Following screening and full-text review with citation tracking, 52 studies were included: 18 genetic and 34 pharmacotherapy studies. Serotonergic targets, such as the serotonin transporter and pre- and postsynaptic serotonergic receptors, were most often associated with LPE in genetic and pharmacotherapeutic studies. Mixed results were found among polymorphisms within genetic studies. This mechanism is in accordance with pharmacotherapeutic studies, as the highest efficacy was found for potent serotonergic antidepressants. Successful treatment was also observed with medication acting on phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme, such as tadalafil and vardenafil. Analyses of other genetic association studies did not yield any further evidence for associated targets. This review is the first comprehensive scoping review on LPE. We found that serotonergic targets are most often associated with LPE, suggesting that the serotonergic pathway is a predisposing factor in LPE. Furthermore, there is some evidence for phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, which should be investigated. Other previously investigated neurobiological targets appear less likely to contribute to LPE. Future studies should focus on multiple targets, ideally in a genome-wide association study design.This review has been registered with the Open Science Framework (doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/JUQSD).

Characteristics, consent patterns, and challenges of randomized trials using the Trials within Cohorts (TwiCs) design - A scoping review

ObjectivesTrials within Cohorts (TwiCs) is a pragmatic design approach that may overcome frequent challenges of traditional randomized trials such as slow recruitment, burdensome consent procedures, or limited external validity. This scoping review aims to identify all randomized controlled trials using the TwiCs design and to summarize their design characteristics, ways to obtain informed consent, output, reported challenges and mitigation strategies. Study Design and SettingSystematic search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane, trial registries and citation tracking up to December 2022. TwiCs were defined as randomized trials embedded in a cohort with postrandomization consent for the intervention group and no specific postrandomization consent for the usual care control group. Information from identified TwiCs was extracted in duplicate from protocols, publications, and registry entries. We analyzed the information descriptively and qualitatively to highlight methodological challenges and solutions related to nonuptake of interventions and informed consent procedure. ResultsWe identified a total of 46 TwiCs conducted between 2005 and 2022 in 14 different countries by a handful of research groups. The most common medical fields were oncology (11/46; 24%), infectious diseases (8/46; 17%), and mental health (7/46; 15%). A typical TwiCs was investigator-initiated (46/46; 100%), publicly funded (36/46; 78%), and recruited outpatients (27/46; 59%). Excluding eight pilot trials, only 16/38 (42%) TwiCs adjusted their calculated sample size for nonuptake of the intervention, anticipating a median nonuptake of 25% (interquartile range 10%-32%) in the experimental arm. Seventeen TwiCs (45%) planned analyses to adjust effect estimates for nonuptake. Regarding informed consent, we observed three patterns: 1) three separate consents for cohort participation, randomization, and intervention (17/46; 37%); 2) combined consent for cohort participation and randomization and a separate intervention consent (10/46; 22%); and 3) consent only for cohort participation and intervention (randomization consent not mentioned; 19/46; 41%). ConclusionExisting TwiCs are globally scattered across a few research groups covering a wide range of medical fields and interventions. Despite the potential advantages, the number of TwiCs remains small. The variability in consent procedures and the possibility of substantial nonuptake of the intervention warrants further research to guide the planning, implementation, and analysis of TwiCs.

Navigating the innovation policy dilemma: How subnational governments balance expenditure competition pressures and long-term innovation goals

In the pursuit of economic growth, the role of innovation has become increasingly important, posing dilemmas for subnational governments as they navigate the balance between expenditure competition and long-term investments in innovation. This study aimed to investigate the intricate relationship between fiscal pressures and the pursuit of innovation goals faced by regional authorities. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted, synthesizing more than 150 studies published within the past 15 years. Keyword searches were conducted across multiple databases, and additional scholarly articles were incorporated through citation tracking. Rigorous qualitative analysis techniques, including inductive coding and thematic analysis, were employed to distill conceptual insights from the literature. The analysis performed in this review reveals extensive discussions regarding the influence of competition on innovation outcomes, encompassing a wide range of perspectives. The potential advantages of localization are emphasized by some viewpoints, while others caution against the risks of inadequate investment. The effective coordination of policies across multiple levels of governance to maximize synergies between national and subnational innovation systems emerges as a complex yet crucial challenge. It is observed that collaborative networks, which facilitate knowledge exchange through industrial clustering and public-private linkages, play a significant role in leveraging regional innovation assets. Strategic approaches that successfully balance competition with long-term capacity development have been demonstrated by leading jurisdictions. These findings highlight the significance of tailored policy frameworks that account for the unique contexts of each region, providing opportunities to harness competitive motivations while sustaining investments in innovation. Ongoing coordination is essential to strike a balance between responsiveness and coherence across diverse territories. This study offers practical guidance and academic insights on strategies to align decentralized imperatives, aiming to optimize prosperity through knowledge creation within evolving multi-level innovation systems. By shedding light on these strategies, the research contributes to both practical and academic understandings of how to effectively navigate and capitalize on the dynamics of such systems.

Systematic review and narrative synthesis of the experiences of individuals with chronic pain participating in digital pain management interventions.

The use of digital pain management interventions has grown since the Covid 19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to systematically review and synthesise evidence from qualitative studies regarding the experiences of individuals with chronic pain participating in digital pain management interventions in primary care and community settings. Fourteen databases were searched, as well as citation tracking and hand-searching reference lists of included articles. The latest search was completed by 07/07/2023. Qualitative studies of patient and carer perspectives of digital pain management interventions for adults aged 18 and over with non-malignant chronic pain were included. All studies were appraised for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. A narrative synthesis approach was used to synthesise the findings. Normalisation Process Theory was used to understand how individuals with chronic pain make sense of digital pain management interventions and incorporate knowledge, skills and strategies learnt into their day-to-day lives. Eleven studies, encompassing both digital applications for use on smartphones/ mobile devices and user-directed online modular programmes, were included in the synthesis. Three main themes and related subthemes were identified from the included studies: 1) Making sense of the digital intervention (Subthemes: Tailoring to user's needs; Human contact and support; Accessibility of the digital intervention; Personal and environmental factors affecting engagement with digital interventions); 2) Initiating and Maintaining Behaviour Change (Subthemes: Planning activity; Being active); and 3) Personal Growth (Subthemes: Gaining understanding and skills; Gaining and acting on feedback; Negotiating a new relationship with pain). Recommendations. The key recommendations from our findings are that digital pain management interventions should provide: Specific and tailored information for individual participants.Focus on changing attitudes and behaviours and reframing perceptions of pain.Structured goal setting with prompts to review goals.Potential healthcare professional support alongside the digital intervention.Limitations of the review. To reduce bias, it would have been preferable for more than one author to independently fully analyse each paper and to identify themes and sub-themes. Instead, the identified themes and sub-themes were discussed with two other authors in the team (ES, LW) to reach a consensus view on final themes and sub-themes. One author (JS) received a Research Internship and Research Initiation Award funded by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Wessex (https://www.arc-wx.nihr.ac.uk/) and NHS England (https://www.england.nhs.uk/). The protocol for this review was registered with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) PROSPERO international database for registering systematic reviews (PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42021257768).

The impact of detention on the health of asylum seekers: An updated systematic review: A systematic review.

The number of people fleeing persecution and regional conflicts is rising. Western countries have applied increasingly stringent measures to discourage those seeking asylum from entering their country, amongst them, to confine asylum seekers in detention facilities. Clinicians have expressed concerns over the mental health impact of detention on asylum seekers, a population already burdened with trauma, advocating against such practices. The main objective of this review is to assess evidence about the effects of detention on the mental and physical health and social functioning of asylum seekers. Relevant literature was identified through electronic searches of bibliographic databases, internet search engines, hand searching of core journals and citation tracking of included studies and relevant reviews. Searches were performed up to November 2023. Studies comparing detained asylum-seekers with non-detained asylum seekers were included. Qualitative approaches were excluded. Of 22,226 potential studies, 14 met the inclusion criteria. These studies, from 4 countries, involving a total of 13 asylum-seeker populations. Six studies were used in the data synthesis, all of which reported only mental health outcomes. Eight studies had a critical risk of bias. Meta-analyses, inverse variance weighted using random effects statistical models, were conducted on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. A total of 27,797 asylum seekers were analysed. Four studies provided data while the detained asylum seekers were still detained, and two studies after release. All outcomes are reported such that a positive effect size favours better outcomes for the non-detained asylum seekers. The weighted average SMD while detained is 0.45 [95% CI 0.19, 0.71] for PTSD and after release 0.91 [95% CI 0.24, 1.57]; for anxiety 0.42 [95% CI 0.18, 0.66] and for depression 0.68 [95% CI 0.10, 1.26] both while detained. Based on single-study data, the SMD was 0.60 [95% CI 0.02, 1.17] for depression and 0.76 [95% CI 0.17, 1.34] for anxiety, both after release. Three studies (one study each) reported outcomes related to psychological distress, self-harm and social well being. Psychological distress favoured the detained but was not significant; whereas both effect sizes on self-harm and social wellbeing indicated highly negative impacts of detention; in particular, the impact on self-harm was extremely high. The OR of self-harm was reported separately for asylum seekers detained in three types of detention: Manus Island, Nauru and onshore detention. The ORs were in the range 12.18 to 74.44; all were significant. Despite similar post-migration adversities amongst comparison groups, findings suggest an independent adverse impact of detention on asylum seekers' mental health, with the magnitude of the effect sizes lying in an important clinical range. These effects persisted beyond release into the community. While based on limited evidence, this review supports concerns regarding the detrimental impact of detention on the mental health of already traumatised asylum seekers. Further research is warranted to comprehensively explore these effects. Detention of asylum seekers, already grappling with significant trauma, appears to exacerbate mental health challenges. Policymakers and practitioners should consider these findings in shaping immigration and asylum policies, with a focus on minimising harm to vulnerable populations.

What do we know about Objective Structured Clinical Examination in Sport and Exercise Medicine? A scoping review.

Despite the importance of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in Sport and Exercise Medicine, the literature on the topic is fragmented and has been poorly developed. The goal of this review was to map current knowledge about how the OSCE is used in Sport and Exercise Medicine, and to identify knowledge gaps for future research. The authors conducted a scoping review. They searched PubMed and Scopus for articles using key terms related to 'OSCE' and 'sport medicine' with no limit on search start date and up to July 2022. Retrieved records were imported, abstracts were screened, and full-text articles were reviewed. A forward and backward citation tracking was conducted. Data was extracted and a qualitative meta-summary of the studies was conducted. A total of 469 records were screened, and 22 studies were included. The objectives of the studies included using OSCEs to assess knowledge/skills after a training program (n = 11), to assess an intervention (n = 8), and to assess and improve the OSCE itself (n = 3). Thirteen studies reported validity and/or reliability of the OSCE. Despite the widespread use of OSCEs in the examination of Sport and Exercise Medicine trainees, only a handful of scholarly works have been published. More research is needed to support the use of OSCE in Sport and Exercise Medicine for its initial purpose. We highlight avenues for future research such as assessing the need for a deeper exploration of the relationship between candidate characteristics and OSCE scores.

The effects of agricultural output market access interventions on agricultural, socio‐economic, food security, and nutrition outcomes in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review

AbstractBackgroundAn estimated two billion people do not have sufficient access to nutritious food, and nearly half are dependent on small‐scale and subsistence farming. Projections show that the global population is not on track to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. With this in mind, development actors are increasingly seeking to better integrate rural farmers into agricultural markets. This synthesis of the literature can help to inform policy decisions to improve outcomes for smallholder farmers in low‐ and middle‐income countries, and to enable the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. This work is the most comprehensive and up‐to‐date review synthesizing evidence from 262 interventions.ObjectivesThe purpose of this systematic review is to appraise and synthesize evidence of the effects of five types of interventions facilitating farmers' access to output markets in low‐ and middle‐income countries. We examine how these effects vary across contexts and subgroups. We also identify evidence on program costs and evidence gaps in the literature.Search MethodsThe search of included studies was based on nine major databases/search engines and 25 institutional websites, using a set of English search terms. We also conducted forward and backward citation tracking of literature, published a public call for papers, and contacted key experts.Selection CriteriaWe included studies on the effects of five types of output market access interventions, focusing on participants residing in low‐ and middle‐income countries: (1) Farm‐to‐market transport infrastructure interventions; (2) Access to output market information interventions; (3) New marketplaces or alternative marketing opportunities interventions; (4) Contract farming interventions; (5) Improved storage infrastructure and technologies interventions. We included published and unpublished studies from 2000 onwards, with experimental and quasi‐experimental study designs focusing on relevant outcomes.Data Collection and AnalysisWe screened 52,366 studies, identifying a total of 439 papers representing 289 unique studies on the effects of 262 interventions in 53 countries. Data extraction and risk of bias assessments were completed by two independent reviewers.Main ResultsAll five types of output market access interventions resulted in small‐to‐moderate positive effects on almost all measures of market participation, agricultural production, and welfare outcomes. These improvements occurred through a reduction in transaction costs, adoption of improved practices, greater farm investment, access to higher prices for farmers, greater volume sold, and increased farm income. Effects vary by intervention type. However, the body of evidence is comprised of a large share of included studies with a high risk of bias. Few studies have information on the cost of interventions, and there are gaps in the available evidence.Authors' ConclusionsOutput market access interventions are effective in reducing transaction costs and addressing market failures, thereby leading to higher income levels. Evidence of effects on food security and nutrition is sparse and has not provided conclusive findings. We also found that multi‐component interventions are not necessarily more effective than single component interventions. The specific needs and dynamics of each context should inform the choice of the intervention and approach. Investments in additional research with low risk of selection bias and confounding effects will improve the evidence base, especially for outcomes that constitute gaps in the literature. For example, the effects on quality of agricultural products and group participation are under‐researched, and we did not find any included studies focusing on North Africa or the Middle East. Collecting and reporting information on interventions' cost‐effectiveness will help decision‐makers to prioritize limited resources.

Evolution of the Household Debt Narrative: A PRISMA-compliant Systematic Literature Review

This article focuses on the narratives that are developing in the household debt arena through a systematic and in-depth examination of the literature. The article used co-occurrence analysis to identify the major themes in the household debate followed by a review of the top 100 highly cited articles, which is supplemented with citation tracking. It is found that the past research mainly concentrates on the effect of financialization and deregulation of global markets, mortgages and housing bubbles, the upward trending inequality, the GDP growth and financial stability as well as the relationship between the household balance sheet and macroeconomic fluctuations. This study highlights the significant and upcoming trends in the study of household finances placing it at the centre of academic discourse on economic crisis and financial stability. It tracks the channels through which household debt could have potential impact on economic stability by summarizing the significant studies and deriving conclusions and direction for future research.

Morphological variability of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and its potential clinical significance.

The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is derived from the dorsal branches of the L2 and L3 spinal nerves. It travels across the pelvis and heads towards the anterior superior iliac spine. It passes under the lateral part of the inguinal ligament and then divides into two branches, which are responsible for sensory innervation of the anterolateral and lateral skin of the thigh. However, the course of this nerve can vary morphologically. Numerous differences have been observed in its exit from the pelvis and in the number of its main trunks and branches. Additionally, its angle with the inguinal ligament and its placement in relation to other structures (such as the femoral artery, femoral nerve, and the sartorius and iliacus muscles) also vary. All of these variants have potential clinical implications. Therefore, the aim of this review is to present the morphological variability of the lateral cutaneous nerve and to explore how these anatomical differences can introduce clinical concerns. Presented review of the literature was written based on over 30 studies. Comprehensive literature search was done using PubMed in order to study the morphological variability of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). To be included in this review studies needed to be meet certain criteria: been published before December 2023, present information valuable to this paper (variability of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve/clinical significance). The search included how LFCN vary either among fetuses and adults in the aim of providing more complex information about the variability of this nerve. During the search key words as following were used. No particular references were excluded from the analysis. All relevant studies were included, and citation tracking was used to identify publications. This review presents the description of variability of LFCN and its potential clinical impact. In the review differences in adult and fetuses were considered, morphological variability were divided into 4 groups: the origin of the nerve, the way it leaves the pelvis, the branching pattern, the angle between LFCN and surrounding structures and then, clinical significance were considered basing on available literature.

Implementation Strategies for Maternal Near-Miss Case Reviews in LICs and LMICs: A scoping review protocol.

Maternal mortality remains a persistent public health concern despite significant strides in reduction over the past few decades, with a global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 223 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, indicating a 34.3% decline over 20 years, with Low income countries (LICs) and Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) bearing the major burden. Effective implementation of facility-based near-miss case reviews (NMCR), endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), faces challenges hindering progress, making exploring implementation strategies through a scoping review essential. This scoping review aims to identify and characterize implementation strategies employed in Low and Lower Middle- Income Countries to facilitate the implementation of facility-based NMCR. The scoping review will follow Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, involving five stages: identifying the research question, selecting relevant studies, selecting data, charting, and summarizing the results. Electronic databases like PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCOhost - CINAHL Ultimate, and Ovid MEDLINE will be searched, supplemented by citation tracking. Rayyan will be used to screen and remove duplicates, with data charting conducted using Google Sheets. Two independent reviewers will conduct blinded screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion phases. Reviewers will conduct Systematic data extraction independently using piloted forms, with discrepancies resolved through team discussion and consensus. The review will identify and characterize implementation strategies employed to facilitate the implementation of facility-based near-miss case reviews in LICs and LMICs. The findings of this review will contribute to the understanding of implementing strategies for facility-based NMCR in LICs and LMICs. The review can help in designing interventions/programs to reduce maternal mortality and knowledge products.

The Quality in Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.

Quality of life (QoL) is known to be impaired in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). Not surprisingly, a considerable effort of health interventions is aimed at maintaining or improving QoL. Yet, little is known about its determinants from a PwPD perspective to inform person-centered health care interventions. This systematic review aims to overcome this information gap by synthesizing existing evidence on factors associated with PwPD' self-perceived QoL. We searched six electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) from inception to January 2022 for eligible qualitative studies of QoL in PwPD, supplemented by citation tracking and hand searching. Study quality was assessed using the QualSyst tool. In order to characterize the determinants of QoL in PwPD, we conducted a qualitative meta-synthesis. Our analysis revealed a wide range of facilitators and barriers to QoL relating to seven overarching themes: Illness experience, health care, everyday life, social life, identity, spirituality/religion, and environment. Our systematic review reinforces the impact of symptom experience on PwPD's QoL. However, it also highlights the need to consider the non-physical dimensions of PD when assessing patients' QoL. It is therefore essential that health care professionals acknowledge the psychological, social and spiritual repercussions of PD and endeavor to respond to these concerns through a comprehensive and patient-centered strategy. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of these facets of PD and to formulate successful interventions aimed at improving the QoL of PwPD.

Exploring self-experience practices in dementia care: A scoping review.

Recognised as essential for high-quality dementia service, person-centred care aims to understand and respect the unique needs of each individual. Self-experience practices may offer caregivers an opportunity to acquire knowledge, empathy, and skills related to person-centred care, especially through recreating experiences similar to dementia. Given the need to enhance the understanding of self-experience practices in dementia care, a more comprehensive investigation of these training interventions for (future) caregivers is needed. We conducted a scoping review to map the evidence on the use of self-experience practices in dementia training. We systematically searched Cochrane Library, MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science. We also searched for grey literature, as well as registry entries, and conducted backward citation tracking of included reviews. We analysed data on intervention characteristics, factors influencing the implementation, and learning outcomes based on Kirkpatrick's model. We included 44 reports across 30 intervention programmes. The majority of reports (91%) were published from 2016 onwards, with 32% originating from the USA and 25% from the UK. We identified passive, interactive, immersive, and multicomponent self-experience interventions in dementia education and training. Learning outcomes based on Kirkpatrick's model were fairly distributed across all identified modalities. Both consumers and providers emphasised aspects related to the development and implementation of practices, particularly organisational-related considerations such as temporal and spatial planning of trainings. Our review highlights diverse interventions incorporating self-experience practices, with an increasing role for technological tools. While self-experience interventions engage participants, the impact on individuals with dementia and organisational levels remain largely unreported. Our overview, informed by current literature, underscores unique considerations and challenges associated with dementia-related self-experience practices. Implementing and evaluating complex training interventions using self-experience practices should consider ethical aspects. Registry: Registered within the Open Science Framework (available at https://osf.io/fycxa/).

Contextually appropriate nurse staffing models: a realist review protocol

IntroductionDecisions about nurse staffing models are a concern for health systems globally due to workforce retention and well-being challenges. Nurse staffing models range from all Registered Nurse workforce to a...

Questionnaires assessing knowledge and beliefs about musculoskeletal conditions are potentially suitable for use, but further research is needed: a systematic review

ObjectivesTo evaluate the measurement properties of Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for knowledge and/or beliefs about musculoskeletal conditions. Study Design and SettingA systematic review was performed according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines. This review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO – ID: CRD42022303111. Electronic databases, reference lists, forward citation tracking, and contact with experts were used to identify studies. Eligible studies were reports developing or assessing a measurement property of a PROM measuring musculoskeletal condition specific-knowledge and/or beliefs. We assessed the methodological quality and measurement properties of included studies. A modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation approach was used to rate the quality of evidence for each PROM. ResultsThe literature search was performed from inception to 11th September 2023. Sixty records were included, reporting 290 individual studies, and provided information on 25 PROMs. Five PROMs presented sufficient structural validity, three presented sufficient cross-cultural validity, ten presented sufficient reliability, three presented sufficient criterion validity, six presented sufficient hypothesis-testing, and four presented sufficient responsiveness. No PROM presented sufficient evidence for content validity, internal consistency, and measurement error. Based on the available evidence, no PROM was classified as suitable for use according to the COSMIN recommendations. Twenty-four PROMs are potentially suitable for use, and one PROM is not recommended for use. ConclusionNo PROM designed to assess knowledge and/or beliefs about musculoskeletal conditions meets the COSMIN criteria of suitable for use. Most PROMs identified in this systematic review were considered as potentially suitable for use and need further high-quality research to assess their measurement properties.

Boosting treatment outcomes via the patient-practitioner relationship, treatment-beliefs or therapeutic setting. A systematic review with meta-analysis of contextual effects in chronic musculoskeletal pain.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether manipulating contextual effects (e.g. interaction with patients, or beliefs about treatments) boosted the outcomes of non-pharmacological and non-surgicaltreatments for chronic primary musculoskeletal pain. DESIGN: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: We searched for trials in six databases, citation tracking, and clinical trials registers. We included trials that compared treatments with enhanced contextual effects with the same treatments without enhancement in adults with chronic primary musculoskeletal pain. DATA SYNTHESIS: The outcomes of interest were pain intensity, physical functioning, global ratings of improvement, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep. We evaluated risk of bias and certainty of the evidence using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0 and the GRADE approach, respectively. RESULTS: Of 17637 records, we included 10 trials with 990 participants and identified 5 ongoing trials. The treatments were acupuncture, education, exercise training, and physical therapy. The contextual effects that were improved in the enhanced treatments were patient-practitioner relationship, patient beliefs and characteristics, therapeutic setting/environment, and treatment characteristics. Our analysis showed that improving contextual effects in non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatments may not make much difference on pain intensity (mean difference [MD] : -1.77, 95%-CI: [-8.71; 5.16], k = 7 trials, N = 719 participants, Scale: 0-100, GRADE: Low)) or physical functioning (MD: -0.27, 95%-CI: [-1.02; 0.49], 95%-PI: [-2.04; 1.51], k = 6 , N = 567, Scale: 0-10, GRADE: Low) in the short-term and at later follow-ups. Sensitivity analyses revealed similar findings. CONCLUSION: Whilst evidence gaps exist, per current evidence it may not be possible to achieve meaningful benefit for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain by manipulating the context of non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This systematic review was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42023391601).

Consolidated guidance for behavioral intervention pilot and feasibility studies

BackgroundIn the behavioral sciences, conducting pilot and/or feasibility studies (PFS) is a key step that provides essential information used to inform the design, conduct, and implementation of a larger-scale trial. There are more than 160 published guidelines, reporting checklists, frameworks, and recommendations related to PFS. All of these publications offer some form of guidance on PFS, but many focus on one or a few topics. This makes it difficult for researchers wanting to gain a broader understanding of all the relevant and important aspects of PFS and requires them to seek out multiple sources of information, which increases the risk of missing key considerations to incorporate into their PFS. The purpose of this study was to develop a consolidated set of considerations for the design, conduct, implementation, and reporting of PFS for interventions conducted in the behavioral sciences.MethodsTo develop this consolidation, we undertook a review of the published guidance on PFS in combination with expert consensus (via a Delphi study) from the authors who wrote such guidance to inform the identified considerations. A total of 161 PFS-related guidelines, checklists, frameworks, and recommendations were identified via a review of recently published behavioral intervention PFS and backward/forward citation tracking of a well-known PFS literature (e.g., CONSORT Ext. for PFS). Authors of all 161 PFS publications were invited to complete a three-round Delphi survey, which was used to guide the creation of a consolidated list of considerations to guide the design, conduct, and reporting of PFS conducted by researchers in the behavioral sciences.ResultsA total of 496 authors were invited to take part in the three-round Delphi survey (round 1, N = 46; round 2, N = 24; round 3, N = 22). A set of twenty considerations, broadly categorized into six themes (intervention design, study design, conduct of trial, implementation of intervention, statistical analysis, and reporting) were generated from a review of the 161 PFS-related publications as well as a synthesis of feedback from the three-round Delphi process. These 20 considerations are presented alongside a supporting narrative for each consideration as well as a crosswalk of all 161 publications aligned with each consideration for further reading.ConclusionWe leveraged expert opinion from researchers who have published PFS-related guidelines, checklists, frameworks, and recommendations on a wide range of topics and distilled this knowledge into a valuable and universal resource for researchers conducting PFS. Researchers may use these considerations alongside the previously published literature to guide decisions about all aspects of PFS, with the hope of creating and disseminating interventions with broad public health impact.

The morphological variability of the pelvic girdle muscles: a potential trap during ultrasound.

The muscles present in the pelvic girdle compartment demonstrate clinically significant anatomical variation regarding both their site of attachment and additions, such as accessory heads, muscles or tendinous slips. Many of those variations might be considered potential traps during ultrasound examination that may result in misdiagnosis. The aim of this study was to raise awareness of such possibility. A comprehensive search for morphological variations was performed in PubMed and NIH. Relevant papers were listed and citation tracking was accomplished. Although several anatomical variations of pelvic girdle muscles have been presented, few studies have examined their relevance in ultrasound imaging. The morphological variability of the pelvic girdle muscles does not vary from such incidence in other regions of the human body; however further ultrasound studies are needed of the numerous morphological variants that can be found in this region.