Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses Research Articles

Health technology assessment implementation in WHO South-East Asia Region: a realist review protocol.

A robust Health Technology Assessment (HTA) framework is crucial to address the rising burden of healthcare costs and to inform decision-making to promote high-quality health systems. This research aims to describe the HTA methods and mechanisms for the successful implementation of HTA in the WHO South-East Asia region, and contextualize the synthesized evidence relevant to Indian settings. Realist review involves developing a program theory by conducting a systematic search strategy, screening, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis. A systematic search for literature will be conducted on PubMed (NCBI), EMBASE (Elsevier), Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science (Clarivate), and ProQuest Central for identifying the methods used for HTA of health technology interventions. Stakeholder consultations will be conducted to develop a program theory following the Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations (CMOcs) framework. Searches for primary evidence will be conducted iteratively. Data will be extracted and tested against the programme theory. The proposed realist review will be reported as per the Realist and MEta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards [RAMESES II] guidelines. To our knowledge, there has been no comprehensive review conducted to understand the mechanisms of HTA methods in the WHO South-East Asia region. The findings from the realist review will help us understand the mechanisms through which the HTA could work in WHO South-East Asian countries. We will then contextualize the findings obtained from evidence to Indian settings, based on program theory development through stakeholder consultation. A framework will be developed that can be used by policymakers/HTA experts in India for effective implementation of the same.

Contextual factors and intentional rounding in acute hospitals: understanding what works, for whom, in what settings: a realist synthesis protocol.

This study aims to understand and explain the influence of contextual factors on the implementation of Intentional Rounding in acute hospitals using the realist synthesis methodology.Falls of hospital admitted patients are one of the most frequent concerns for patient safety in the acute hospital environment. The reasons why people fall are complex. International guidelines recommend a multifactorial assessment and effective prevention and management of identified risk factors in order to reduce the number of falls. Intentional Rounding (IR) is one approach for delivering this. IR is an umbrella term, understood as a structured process whereby nurses or care staff carry out regular checks with individual patients using a standardised protocol to address such issues as positioning, pain, personal needs and placement of possessions. This study will use realist synthesis to understand what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and in what settings. Realist synthesis is a theory driven interpretive approach to evidence synthesis. It is our intention to analyse IR as an intervention, which aims to enhance patient care and safety in hospital settings. The synthesis forms part of a larger implementation study examining interventions that reduce the number of falls that occur in hospitals. Search terms will include intentional rounding, purposeful rounding, comfort rounding and hourly rounding and will encompass search terms beyond IR and falls rates to avoid limiting the synthesis. This synthesis will conform to the RAMESES (realist and meta-narrative evidence synthesis group) publication and reporting quality standards. The findings will inform the next phase of an implementation study on IR in acute hospital settings, to address evidence informed enablers and barriers to IR. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and through presentations.

Causes and solutions to workplace psychological ill-health for nurses, midwives and paramedics: the Care Under Pressure 2 realist review.

Nurses, midwives and paramedics are the largest collective group of clinical staff in the National Health Service and have some of the highest prevalence of psychological ill-health. Existing literature tends to be profession-specific and focused on individual interventions that place responsibility for good psychological health with nurses, midwives and paramedics themselves. To improve understanding of how, why and in what contexts nurses, midwives and paramedics experience work-related psychological ill-health; and determine which high-quality interventions can be implemented to minimise psychological ill-health in these professions. Realist synthesis methodology consistent with realist and meta-narrative evidence syntheses: evolving standards' reporting guidelines. First round database searching in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online Database ALL (via Ovid), cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature database (via EBSCO) and health management information consortium database (via Ovid), was undertaken between February and March 2021, followed by supplementary searching strategies (e.g. hand searching, expert solicitation of key papers). Reverse chronology screening was applied, aimed at retaining 30 relevant papers in each profession. Round two database searches (December 2021) targeted COVID-19-specific literature and literature reviews. No date limits were applied. We built on seven key reports and included 75 papers in the first round (26 nursing, 26 midwifery, 23 paramedic) plus 44 expert solicitation papers, 29 literature reviews and 49 COVID-19 focused articles in the second round. Through the realist synthesis we surfaced 14 key tensions in the literature and identified five key findings, supported by 26 context mechanism and outcome configurations. The key findings identified the following: (1) interventions are fragmented, individual-focused and insufficiently recognise cumulative chronic stressors; (2) it is difficult to promote staff psychological wellness where there is a blame culture; (3) the needs of the system often override staff well-being at work ('serve and sacrifice'); (4) there are unintended personal costs of upholding and implementing values at work; and (5) it is challenging to design, identify and implement interventions to work optimally for diverse staff groups with diverse and interacting stressors. Our realist synthesis strongly suggests the need to improve the systemic working conditions and the working lives of nurses, midwives and paramedics to improve their psychological well-being. Individual, one-off psychological interventions are unlikely to succeed alone. Psychological ill-health is highly prevalent in these staff groups (and can be chronic and cumulative as well as acute) and should be anticipated and prepared for, indeed normalised and expected. Healthcare organisations need to (1) rebalance the working environment to enable healthcare professionals to recover and thrive; (2) invest in multi-level system approaches to promote staff psychological well-being; and use an organisational diagnostic framework, such as the NHS England and NHS Improvement Health and Wellbeing framework, to self-assess and implement a systems approach to staff well-being. Future research should implement, refine and evaluate systemic interventional strategies. Interventions and evaluations should be co-designed with front-line staff and staff experts by experience, and tailored where possible to local, organisational and workforce needs. The literature was not equivalent in size and quality across the three professions and we did not carry out citation searches using hand searching and stakeholder/expert suggestions to augment our sample. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020172420. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020172420. This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR129528) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 9. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

What contributes to promote sexual health in cancer palliative care? A realist review.

Sexuality is an important determinant of the overall health of a population and remains so at the end of life and in patients with advanced cancers. Despite the abundant literature on sexuality and intimacy, these topics have been rarely discussed in the context of cancer palliative care, and very few interventions to promote sexual health in patients undergoing cancer palliative care have been explored. In this study we sought to identify which factors and mechanisms contribute to promoting sexual health in cancer palliative care. A realist review was performed according to the guidelines of the realist and meta-narrative evidence synthesis method guidelines. Articles published between January 2010 and June 2021 were searched in 4 databases. Records were screened for their relevance regarding a predefined list of context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations. Abstracts were independently screened by 2 authors before the data were extracted from the full-text articles selected for inclusion. With the use of abductive and retroductive reasoning techniques, each article was examined for evidence of its contribution to one of the CMO configurations, which could be refined when relevant. The data were summarized according to the final CMO configurations. Of the 2056 articles identified, 38 articles were included in the review. The data reported in these articles contributed to 7 CMO hypotheses: (1) improving communication skills, (2) healthcare provider training, (3) reorganizing the patient environment in care settings or at home, (4) managing sexual symptoms and also general symptoms, (5 and 6) patient-centered counseling or couple counseling, and (7) lifting the taboo. The findings reported here highlight various ways to improve sexual health for patients in cancer palliative care but are limited to genital cancers. Further research should consider all types of cancer rather than being restricted to genital cancers.

A realist synthesis of multicentre comparative audit implementation: exploring what works and in which healthcare contexts

BackgroundMulticentre comparative clinical audits have the potential to improve patient care, allow benchmarking and inform resource allocation. However, implementing effective and sustainable large-scale audit can be difficult within busy and...

Understanding the inclusion and participation of adults from Black African Diaspora Communities (BAFDC) in health and care research in the UK: a realist review protocol

IntroductionPeople from Black African Diaspora Communities (BAFDC) experience poorer health outcomes, have many long-term conditions and are persistently under-represented in health and care research. There is limited focus on programmes,...

Integrated care system leadership: a rapid realist review

PurposeGiven the complex nature of integrated care systems (ICSs), the geographical spread and the large number of organisations involved in partnership delivery, the importance of leadership cannot be overstated. This paper aims to present novel findings from a rapid realist review of ICS leadership in England. The overall review question was: how does leadership in ICSs work, for whom and in what circumstances?Design/methodology/approachDevelopment of initial programme theories and associated context–mechanism–outcome configurations (CMOCs) were supported by the theory-gleaning activities of a review of ICS strategies and guidance documents, a scoping review of the literature and interviews with key informants. A refined programme theory was then developed by testing these CMOCs against empirical data published in academic literature. Following screening and testing, six CMOCs were extracted from 18 documents. The study design, conduct and reporting were informed by the Realist And Metanarrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards (RAMESES) training materials (Wong et al., 2013).FindingsThe review informed four programme theories explaining that leadership in ICSs works when ICS leaders hold themselves and others to account for improving population health, a sense of purpose is fostered through a clear vision, partners across the system are engaged in problem ownership and relationships are built at all levels of the system.Research limitations/implicationsDespite being a rigorous and comprehensive investigation, stakeholder input was limited to one ICS, potentially restricting insights from varied geographical contexts. In addition, the recent establishment of ICSs meant limited literature availability, with few empirical studies conducted. Although this emphasises the importance and originality of the research, this scarcity posed challenges in extracting and applying certain programme theory elements, particularly context.Originality/valueThis review will be of relevance to academics and health-care leaders within ICSs in England, offering critical insights into ICS leadership, integrating diverse evidence to develop new evidence-based recommendations, filling a gap in the current literature and informing leadership practice and health-care systems.

Mindfulness-based interventions to support wellbeing of adults in low socio-economic settings: a realist review

BackgroundMindfulness as a modality involves training the innate human capacity for present-moment awareness with a view to cultivating a more harmonious and integrated life experience, especially in the face of hardship. Over the past four decades, the field of mindfulness has grown rapidly. Despite a substantial body of literature outlining the many benefits of mindfulness practice within a range of contexts and populations, the authors noticed that studies addressing the adaptation, application and value of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for adults within socio-economically challenged setting were scant. To address this gap, we conducted a realist review of studies pertaining to MBIs within low socio-economic settings, to determine the extend and nature of research in this sector and culminating in a program theory which may be useful for the design of interventions going forward.MethodsWe selected realist review as the methodology as it is well suited to investigating the complex nature of social interventions. The value of realist review is that the exploration of the causal relationships between the mechanisms (M) within a specific context (C) towards particular outcomes (O) offers a deeper understanding of the intervention which may assist in more effective delivery going forward. The review follows the guidelines presented by the Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Synthesis – Evolving Standards project.ResultsOf the 112 documents identified, 12 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these 12 studies, 10 were conducted in the United States, with little representation across the rest of the globe. The interventions described in these articles were varied. We identified mechanisms that offered beneficial outcomes for participants across a range of contexts, with indications of how interventions might be adapted towards greater accessibility, acceptability, and feasibility within communities.ConclusionBy reviewing the various programs in their respective contexts, we developed a program theory for implementing socio-culturally adapted MBIs in low socio-economic settings. In the future, this program theory could be tested as a means to create a sense of wellbeing for people living in low socio-economic settings.

Contexts, behavioural mechanisms and outcomes to optimise therapeutic exercise prescription for persistent low back pain: a realist review

ObjectiveTherapeutic exercises are a core treatment for low back pain (LBP), but it is uncertain how rehabilitative exercise facilitates change in outcomes. Realist reviews explore how the context (C) of...

Upskilling programmes for unregulated care providers to provide diabetic foot screening for systematically marginalised populations: how, why and in what contexts do they work? A realist review

ObjectiveWe aimed to understand how, why and in what context upskilling programmes for unregulated care providers (UCPs) to provide foot screening for systematically marginalised groups living with diabetes were implemented.DesignWe...

Contextual factors and intentional rounding in acute hospitals: understanding what works, for whom, in what settings: a realist synthesis protocol

Background This study aims to understand and explain the influence of contextual factors on the implementation of Intentional Rounding in acute hospitals using the realist synthesis methodology. Falls of hospital admitted patients are one of the most frequent concerns for patient safety in the acute hospital environment. The reasons why people fall are complex. International guidelines recommend a multifactorial assessment and effective prevention and management of identified risk factors in order to reduce the number of falls. One approach for delivering this is by Intentional Rounding (IR). IR is an umbrella term, understood as a structured process whereby nurses or care staff carry out regular checks with individual patients using a standardised protocol to address such issues as positioning, pain, personal needs and placement of possessions. Methods This study will use realist synthesis to understand what works, for whom, in what circumstances and in what settings. Realist synthesis is a theory driven interpretive approach to evidence synthesis. It is the intention of the researchers to analyse IR as an intervention, which aims to enhance patient care and safety in hospital settings. The synthesis forms part of a larger implementation study examining interventions that reduce the number of falls that occur in hospitals. Search terms will include intentional rounding, purposeful rounding, comfort rounding and hourly rounding and will encompass search terms beyond IR and falls rates in order not to limit the synthesis. This synthesis will conform to the RAMESES (realist and meta-narrative evidence synthesis group) publication and reporting quality standards for a realist synthesis. Conclusions The findings will inform the next phase of an implementation study on IR in acute hospital settings, namely selection of an IR approach and evidence informed barriers and enablers to its implementation. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and through presentations.

How, and under what contexts, do academic–practice partnerships collaborate to implement healthcare improvement education into preregistration nursing curriculums: a realist review protocol

IntroductionInternationally, healthcare improvement remains a clinical and educational priority. Consensus in Europe, Canada and the USA to implement quality improvement (QI) education into preregistration nursing curricula ensures students become equipped...

What makes a multidisciplinary medication review and deprescribing intervention for older people work well in primary care? A realist review and synthesis

BackgroundA third of older people take five or more regular medications (polypharmacy). Conducting medication reviews in primary care is key to identify and reduce/ stop inappropriate medications (deprescribing). Recent recommendations for effective deprescribing include shared-decision making and a multidisciplinary approach. Our aim was to understand when, why, and how interventions for medication review and deprescribing in primary care involving multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) work (or do not work) for older people.MethodsA realist synthesis following the Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards guidelines was completed. A scoping literature review informed the generation of an initial programme theory. Systematic searches of different databases were conducted, and documents screened for eligibility, with data extracted based on a Context, Mechanisms, Outcome (CMO) configuration to develop further our programme theory. Documents were appraised based on assessments of relevance and rigour. A Stakeholder consultation with 26 primary care health care professionals (HCPs), 10 patients and three informal carers was conducted to test and refine the programme theory. Data synthesis was underpinned by Normalisation Process Theory to identify key mechanisms to enhance the implementation of MDT medication review and deprescribing in primary care.FindingsA total of 2821 abstracts and 175 full-text documents were assessed for eligibility, with 28 included. Analysis of documents alongside stakeholder consultation outlined 33 CMO configurations categorised under four themes: 1) HCPs roles, responsibilities and relationships; 2) HCPs training and education; 3) the format and process of the medication review 4) involvement and education of patients and informal carers. A number of key mechanisms were identified including clearly defined roles and good communication between MDT members, integration of pharmacists in the team, simulation-based training or team building training, targeting high-risk patients, using deprescribing tools and drawing on expertise of other HCPs (e.g., nurses and frailty practitioners), involving patents and carers in the process, starting with ‘quick wins’, offering deprescribing as ‘drug holidays’, and ensuring appropriate and tailored follow-up plans that allow continuity of care and management.ConclusionWe identified key mechanisms that could inform the design of future interventions and services that successfully embed deprescribing in primary care.

How does participatory research work: protocol for a realist synthesis

IntroductionParticipatory research science deals with partnerships underlying research, governance and ownership of research products. It is concerned with relationships behind research objectives and methods. Participatory research has gained significant traction...

Health technology assessment implementation in WHO South-East Asia Region: a realist review protocol

Background: A robust Health Technology Assessment (HTA) mechanism is crucial to address the rising burden of healthcare costs and expenditures of patients. This research aims to describe the HTA methods and mechanisms for successful implementation of HTA in the WHO South-East Asia region, and contextualize the synthesized evidence relevant to Indian settings. Methods: Realist review involves developing a program theory by conducting a systematic search strategy, screening, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis. A systematic search for literature will be conducted on PubMed (NCBI), EMBASE (Elsevier), Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science (Clarivate), and ProQuest Central for identifying the methods used for HTA of health technology interventions. Stakeholder consultations will be conducted to develop a program theory following the Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations (CMOcs) framework. Searches for primary evidence will be conducted iteratively. Data will be extracted and tested against the programme theory. The proposed realist review will be reported as per the Realist and MEta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards [RAMESES II] guidelines. Conclusions: To our knowledge, there has been no comprehensive review conducted to understand the mechanisms of HTA methods in the WHO South-East Asia region. The findings from the realist review will help us understand the mechanisms through which the HTA could work in WHO South-East Asian countries. We will then contextualize the findings obtained from evidence to Indian settings, based on program theory development through stakeholder consultation. A framework will be developed that can be used by policymakers/HTA experts in India for effective implementation of the same.

Multisectoral actions in primary health care: A realist synthesis of scoping review.

Multisectoral actions (MSAs) on health are key to implementation of primary health care (PHC) and achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 3. However, there is limited understanding and interpretation of how MSAs on health articulate and mediate health outcomes. This realist review explored how MSAs influence on implementing PHC towards universal health coverage (UHC) in the context of multilevel health systems. We reviewed published evidence that reported the MSAs, PHC and UHC. The keywords used in the search strategy were built on these three key concepts. We employed Pawson and Tilley's realist review approach to synthesize data following Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards publication standards for realist synthesis. We explained findings using a multilevel lens: MSAs at the strategic level (macro-level), coordination and partnerships at the operational level (meso-level) and MSAs employing to modify behaviours and provide services at the local level (micro-level). A total of 40 studies were included in the final review. The analysis identified six themes of MSAs contributing to the implementation of PHC towards UHC. At the macro-level, themes included influence on the policy rules and regulations for governance, and health in all policies for collaborative decision makings. The meso-level themes were spillover effects of the non-health sector, and the role of community health organizations on health. Finally, the micro-level themes were community engagement for health services/activities of health promotion and addressing individuals' social determinants of health. Multisectoral actions enable policy and actions of other sectors in health involving multiple stakeholders and processes. Multisectoral actions at the macro-level provide strategic policy directions; and operationalise non-health sector policies to mitigate their spillover effects on health at the meso-level. At micro-level, MSAs support service provision and utilisation, and lifestyle and behaviour modification of people leading to equity and universality of health outcomes. Proper functional institutional mechanisms are warranted at all levels of health systems to implement MSAs on health.

Understanding how and why upskilling programmes for unregulated care providers can support health equity in underserved communities: a realist review protocol

IntroductionFoot ulcers are one of the most devastating complications of diabetes mellitus leading to leg amputations. In Canada, systematically marginalised and racialised populations are more prone to developing foot ulcers...

Improving Peer Online Forums (iPOF): protocol for a realist evaluation of peer online mental health forums to inform practice and policy

IntroductionPeer online mental health forums are commonly used and offer accessible support. Positive and negative impacts have been reported by forum members and moderators, but it is unclear why these...

How and why educational interventions work to increase knowledge of delirium among healthcare professionals in nursing homes: a protocol for a realist review

BackgroundDelirium is a neuropathological condition that impairs cognitive performance, attention and consciousness and can be potentially life-threatening. Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to developing delirium, but research thus far...

Understanding the implementation of health checks in the prevention and early detection of chronic diseases among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia: a realist review protocol

IntroductionChronic disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. Regular structured, comprehensive health assessments are available to Aboriginal and Torres...