HRB open research最新文献

{"title":"Profiling and Mapping Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Research Frameworks: Protocol for a Scoping Review to Guide Integration.","authors":"Siobhán E McCarthy, Jill Poots, John McCaffrey, Emily O'Dowd, Anna V Chatzi, Killian Walsh, Jennifer A Pallin, Clíodhna McGowan, Tommy Kyaw Tun, John Brennan, Samuel Cromie, Edward W Gregg","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14173.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14173.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A core remit of the Evidence Based QUality Improvement and Patient Safety (EQUIPS) Research Network (2024-2029) is to inform research priorities for the Irish healthcare system. Previously, research prioritisation exercises have treated quality improvement (QI) and patient safety research as separate fields. Given the growth of QI research, an integrated approach is required to generate a full view of the continuum of knowledge generation and translation activities in quality and safety contexts. The co-creation of a Conceptual Framework for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Research among researchers, knowledge users and patient groups is required to outline important topics, research questions and methodologies, applicable to all areas of healthcare. A scoping review of the literature is first needed to examine existing QI and patient safety research frameworks to inform the development of a harmonised conceptual framework for the Irish context. Methods The scoping review will follow JBI guidelines for developing and co-creating scoping review protocols with knowledge users. The completed review will be reported according to the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews, and Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public 2 (GRIPP2) checklist which supports enhanced reporting of patient and public involvement in research. We will search the following databases from 2000-2025 focussing on literature sources from developed countries: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science. We will map included papers using an extraction template developed to fulfil the study aims. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, and discrepancies will be addressed by consensus using a third reviewer. Dissemination Findings will be used to inform the development of a meta-framework that will be used to guide QI and patient safety research priority setting, measurement and monitoring, implementation, and knowledge translation activities in Ireland, at local and national levels. OSF https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FGWUA.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13044539/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterising the role and scope of Community Connectors for Older Adults Internationally: A Scoping Review Protocol.","authors":"Danielle Manning, Christina Hayes, Rose Galvin, Frank Houghton, Jennifer Moran Stritch","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14268.2","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14268.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background As global populations age, there is an increasing need for community-based approaches that support older adults in maintaining independence, social connectedness, and access to services. One emerging model is the Community Connector, an individual who facilitates older adults' engagement with local supports that promote well-being. Despite growing references to this role in national and international practice, there is limited comprehensive understanding of how Community Connectors are defined, implemented, and evaluated across diverse contexts, and how these insights may inform adaptation within varying health and social care systems. Objectives The objectives of the scoping review are to (1) identify and characterise international models of Community Connector roles and their key interventions, including modes of delivery (2) describe key characteristics of populations they serve and (3) summarise reported outcomes. Methods This scoping review will follow the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The study design was chosen due to its capacity to comprehensively map and synthesise the existing literature on international Community Connectors, particularly given the limited nature of the evidence. A comprehensive search will be conducted from 2000 to present, across academic databases [CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Embase, PubMed, OVID, Scopus] and grey literature to identify Community Connectors targeting older adults. Two reviewers will independently screen studies for inclusion based on the criteria of full-text, qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies. Data on programme characteristics, target populations, measured outcomes and contextual factors will be extracted, charted, and synthesised using a narrative approach. Conclusions The review will characterise international Community Connectors, including their core functions, role titles, target population and implementation strategies. It will also examine evaluation methods and assess their potential for adaptation and scale-up across healthcare settings. Scoping Review Registration OSF https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6CZD8.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13032101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147576788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical characteristics and other factors associated with alcohol-related fatal fires in Ireland 2014 - 2021.","authors":"Anne Doyle, Abigail K Stevely, Suzi Lyons, James McBride, Fiona Riordan, John Holmes","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14341.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14341.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Alcohol-related fatal fires represent a tragic but preventable death. Geographic features of these events can inform prevention campaigns and are important to consider in combination with other risk factors. This study aims to examine the factors associated with alcohol-related versus non-alcohol-related fatal fires, and to examine geographical characteristics of alcohol-related fatal fires in Ireland.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Using Irish Coronial data, we looked at all 273 fire fatalities for the period 2014 to 2021, of which 112 (41.0%) had positive alcohol toxicology. Descriptive analyses were conducted followed by logistic regression and geospatial analyses to understand the characteristics of alcohol-related fatal fires.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to non-alcohol related fatal fires, the proportion of fatal fires that involved alcohol was higher among 35-49-year-olds (65.9%) smokers (54.7%) and those accompanied by friends (86.7%). In regression analyses, history of alcohol dependency was the only significant risk factor for a fatal fire being alcohol-related although this may be due to the modest sample size limiting statistical power rather than a true absence of association. Rural areas were over-represented in alcohol-related fatal fires, with an annual average 0.37 deaths per 100,000 people in rural areas for every 0.25 in urban areas. Alcohol-related fires that occurred in rural areas involved a longer travel time and distance to the nearest fire station but there was no significant association between alcohol-related fires and area-level deprivation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>People with a history of alcohol dependency suffer higher rates of alcohol-related vs non-alcohol-related fatal fires. These deaths are avoidable, and it is essential that alcohol use is acknowledged as a contributory risk factor and efforts be made to raise awareness and target at-risk individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"9 ","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13122147/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Training and Experience in Study Selection (TESS): study protocol for a pilot randomised trial within a systematic review.","authors":"Elayne Ahern, Temitayo Adedeji, Aoife Whiston, Sarah Dillon, Fiona Lynn","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14129.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14129.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Systematic reviews can be resource-intensive and require timely completion, yet experienced reviewers may have limited availability, necessitating the inclusion of novice screeners. This Study Within A Review (SWAR) will pilot and examine the feasibility of study methods to explore whether training and level of experience within the screening pair affects the reliability of decisions made by novice screeners during study selection.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 2(training: task-specific, minimal guidance) x 2(experience level of screening partner, 'Reviewer 1': moderate experience, minimal experience) pilot randomised trial will be conducted within a host systematic review in the topic area of depression and psychosocial functioning. Participants ( <i>N</i> = 12), consisting of higher education students with no prior experience in evidence synthesis, will be randomised to one of the four conditions to complete a standardised study selection task at title/abstract level ( <i>k</i> = 219 records) on Covidence screening software, blindly and independently. Total participation time is estimated at 5 hours. Screening decisions made by participants will be assessed for reliability against the consensus-based decisions by two reviewers with content and methodological expertise (expert standard), through calculation of chance-corrected Cohen's kappa, prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK), and percentage of agreement, then compared across the conditions. Secondary outcomes will include reliability within the screening pair (participant and allocated screening partner), validity of screening decisions (false positives, false negatives, sensitivity, specificity), feasibility measures, including time taken to complete the study selection task and success of blinding, as well as acceptability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings will be used to inform the design of subsequent trial work to determine the efficacy of training and screener pairing for study selection. Ultimately, these insights will help to build capacity among novice screeners to engage with evidence synthesis and work alongside experienced review teams. Registration Northern Ireland Hub for Trials Methodology Research SWAR Registry: SWAR 38.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12982981/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147464021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A literature review of cancer diagnostic tests and treatments in adults with intellectual disability.","authors":"Kennedy Smihula, Mikayla Danon, Shauna Walsh, Martin McMahon, Louise Lynch","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14164.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14164.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adults with intellectual disabilities have significantly lower rates of routine cancer screening and cancer is often diagnosed at more advanced stages. Some studies highlight gaps that exist in national screening programmes for cancers such as breast, cervical and colorectal. Evidence in the intellectual disability population points towards factors such as limited screening education, distrust in healthcare providers, and challenges in providing consent, leading to limited uptake of screening programmes. While there are many contributing factors to these inequalities, changes in individuals' health status may go unrecognised for longer because of their intellectual disability. The aim of this literature review is to explore cancer diagnostic approaches and treatment options for adults with intellectual disability and examine barriers to accessing diagnostic procedures and treatments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Five electronic databases were systematically searched: Cinahl Ultimate, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Thematic analysis was completed using the Braun and Clark Six Step process.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four main themes emerged from 28 included studies: Prevention, education, adaptation, and ethical practice. Prevention encompassed individuals receiving regular screening and barriers that prevented access. Educational tools that explained the importance of screening reduced feelings of stress and anxiety. Case studies illustrated how specific treatment plans were adapted for patients with intellectual disability. Autonomy and honesty were themes throughout many studies, in terms of treatment, education, and diagnostics. It was determined that patients should be involved in decision making and be aware of their cancer diagnosis unless there are contra-indications.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Adults with intellectual disability face considerable barriers when accessing cancer diagnosis and treatment. Barriers, including living conditions, communication difficulties and age, contributed to later cancer diagnosis and worse outcomes, compared to the general population. The successful use of education and tailored treatments were enabling factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13000398/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Realist Review Protocol on the Contribution of  Mental Health First Aider Programmes to Staff Wellbeing within Hospital and associated healthcare settings.","authors":"Dolores Donegan, Sean Paul Teeling, Martin McNamara","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14318.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14318.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Staff wellbeing is a growing concerns in healthcare settings, where increased workload, emotional demand, and organisational pressures contribute to stress, burnout, and reduced psychological safety. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is an evidence-based programme designed to support early recognition of mental distress, provide initial reassurance, and facilitate signposting to appropriate help. Its specific contribution to staff wellbeing within hospital and associated healthcare settings, however, remains underexplored. This paper presents a protocol for a realist review that will examine how, why, and in what contexts an MHFA programme may support staff wellbeing within hospital and associated healthcare settings. [Table: see text].</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This protocol for a realist review will follow RAMESES standards to examine the contribution of MHFA training to staff health and wellbeing. The review will proceed through five stages: (1) clarifying the scope of the review; (2) developing initial programme theories; (3) searching for evidence; (4) extracting and synthesising data using realist logic; and (5) refining the programme theories. An expert panel will be convened to support the development and refinement of the programme theories as the review progresses. Conclusions This realist review protocol will guide the development of context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations to explain how MHFA training may operate within different hospital contexts. The resulting programme theories may contribute to organisational strategy, leadership practice, and policy decisions aimed at improving staff wellbeing in acute hospital settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"9 ","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100600/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementing the Personalised Exercise Rehabilitation in Cancer Survivorship (PERCS) Triage and Referral System in Ireland: Protocol for a Qualitative Stakeholder Study.","authors":"Marie Tierney, Gráinne Sheill, Elaine Toomey, Dearbhaile O'Hare, Tom Conway, Louise Mullen, Claire L Donohoe, Emer Guinan","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14272.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14272.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background Exercise rehabilitation offers substantial benefits for people living with and beyond cancer, improving physical, psychological, and disease-related outcomes. Despite strong evidence and policy support, integration of exercise into routine cancer care in Ireland remains limited. The PERCS (Personalised Exercise Rehabilitation in Cancer Survivorship) triage and referral system was developed to provide a structured, stepped-care model directing patients to the appropriate level of exercise support. Following on from a feasibility study, this protocol describes a qualitative study to inform national implementation. Methods This multi-stakeholder study will use focus groups and interviews with four stakeholder groups: 1) Healthcare professionals, 2) Exercise professionals, 3) Policymakers, charity partners, and cancer centre managers, and 4) People living with and beyond cancer, carers and family members. Topic guides, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and tailored to each stakeholder group, will seek to explore barriers, facilitators, and contextual factors that influence implementation. Data will be analysed using framework analysis. Transcripts will be coded using both a CFIR-based deductive coding approach and inductive codes that are relevant to the research aim, and key points will be organised to allow comparison of responses across participant groups. The findings stemming from this work will inform the selection of tailored implementation strategies mapped to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy. Conclusion This study will generate detailed, context-sensitive evidence on the barriers and facilitators to implementing the PERCS system at a national level. By engaging with key stakeholders and using a structured implementation science approach, the findings will guide the development of practical, policy-relevant strategies to support the integration of exercise rehabilitation into survivorship care. The study will contribute to ongoing efforts to improve quality of life for cancer survivors in Ireland and build capacity for sustainable, person-centred cancer rehabilitation services.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13109707/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of guidance issued during COVID-19 to expand take-home doses of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in Ireland: protocol for a population-based analysis of prescribing practices and patient outcomes 2018 to 2023.","authors":"Gráinne Cousins, Louise Durand, Kathleen Bennett, Andy O'Hara, Des Crowley, Suzi Lyons, Eamon Keenan","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14044.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14044.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>It is increasingly suggested that clinical guidelines and practices be updated to permanently expand relaxation around access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT) take-home doses after COVID-19. Despite a risk of OAT drug diversion, flexibility in take-home doses is valued by patients and associated with improved quality of life and retention. However, few studies have examined the effects of changes to take-home dose policies on prescribing practices and patient outcomes, with mixed results.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This protocol relates to three inter-related studies. The first study will examine the impact of guidance issued on March 13th 2020 to all clinicians involved in the delivery of OAT to give the maximum number of take-home doses having given due consideration to the safety of the patient, on prescribing practices for take-home doses of methadone and buprenorphine in primary care. The second study will examine the association between increased take-home doses of OAT following March 13th 2020 guidance and treatment discontinuation in primary care. The third study will examine methadone-related deaths in Ireland before and after the guidance issue, and whether methadone-related deaths varied by whether the deceased was on OAT treatment at the time of death.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Retrospective observational studies will be carried out. The first study will use a time series design to examine changes in prescribing practices of take-home doses. The second study will use a retrospective cohort study design with proportional hazard Cox models to evaluate the association between increased take-home doses and treatment discontinuation. The third study will use a repeated cross-sectional study design with interrupted time series analysis, stratified by OAT treatment status, to assess changes in methadone-related deaths.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>It is anticipated that the studies will generate evidence with potential to inform both clinical and policy decision making with respect to take-home dosing of OAT.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"8 ","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12120409/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144182498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring how health inequalities are conceptualised and measured in patient experience surveys in acute care: a protocol for a scoping review.","authors":"David Healy, John Gilmore, Jenny King, Jenny McSharry, Oonagh Meade, Éidín Ní Shé, Lorna Sweeney, Conor Foley, Chris Noone","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.13998.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.13998.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Measuring patient experience has become standard practice in many countries. However, despite the widespread awareness of the impact of health inequalities on various aspects of health, including patient experience, a comprehensive examination of whether and how health inequalities are measured in patient experience surveys has yet to be completed. The ways in which these surveys conceptualise health inequalities may have important implications for how information about inequalities in patient experience is reported and used to allocate resources and plan quality improvement in health services.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this scoping review is to map measured and overlooked health inequalities in patient experience surveys in acute care and explore what factors potentially explain current conceptualisations and measurement practices of these health inequalities. Inclusion criteria Papers and survey programmes that contain survey materials relating to adult patient experience measurement in any acute care context will be included. No limits will be placed the personal characteristics of people who completes the survey.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A search strategy was developed with an information specialist. The database search will be limited to after September 2021. Reviews, opinion pieces, letters, editorials, conference proceedings and other such sources will be excluded as a publication source. Grey literature searches will be completed, and relevant experts will also be contacted to identify any patient experience surveys not captured through database or grey literature searches. Non-English papers will be included only if resources allow. Two independent reviewers will complete title and abstract, and full-text screening. Additional reviewers will resolve any conflicts. A data extraction form developed by the review team is being used. The extracted data will be analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis, a qualitative method used to examine how power, dominance and inequality are enacted in text.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"7 ","pages":"74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11895858/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143607334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives of primary care healthcare professionals on interventions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of medicines: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol.","authors":"Laura Culkin, Helena Cardon, Katja Taxis, Koen Boussery, David Mockler, Cristín Ryan","doi":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14309.1","DOIUrl":"10.12688/hrbopenres.14309.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Medicines can affect the environment throughout their lifecycle; from manufacturing to use and disposal. Medicines can enter the environment through various sources, some controllable and others not. Excretion is the primary source of pharmaceutical pollution; however, secondary sources also include improper disposal and effluent discharge. This pharmaceutical pollution can harm both human and animal health. As most prescribing occurs in primary care, it is a key setting for interventions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of medicines. The perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding these efforts remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This systematic review aims to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals working in primary care regarding interventions designed to reduce the environmental impact of medicines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Systematic searches of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL will be undertaken. Studies using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods designs will be included if they explore the perspectives of primary care healthcare professionals on interventions to reduce the environmental impact of medicines. Title and abstract screening, followed by full-text review, will be performed independently and in duplicate. Study quality will be appraised independently by two reviewers using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. A data extraction tool will be developed, piloted, and applied to collect relevant information, with extraction conducted independently and in duplicate. Quantitative data will be qualitised and integrated with qualitative evidence as part of a convergent integrated synthesis, with findings presented in the form of a narrative synthesis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review will help inform the design and implementation of future environmental interventions in primary care. By understanding healthcare professionals' perspectives on existing or proposed interventions, future strategies can be tailored to improve their acceptability and feasibility.</p><p><strong>Protocol registration: </strong>This protocol has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD420251247490). Any amendments to this protocol will be documented and uploaded as revision notes on all platforms where the protocol is published.</p>","PeriodicalId":73254,"journal":{"name":"HRB open research","volume":"9 ","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13019037/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147576866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}