Bias in machine learning applications to address non-communicable diseases at a population-level: a scoping review.

Background: Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used in population and public health to support epidemiological studies, surveillance, and evaluation. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review to identify studies that use ML in population health, with a focus on its use in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We also examine potential algorithmic biases in model design, training, and implementation, as well as efforts to mitigate these biases.

Patient, family and caregiver engagement in diabetes care: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: New treatments and technologies have advanced diabetes care; however, diabetes continues to have a major impact on the daily lives of affected individuals, especially among equity-deserving groups. Evidence from patient engagement literature suggests that involving diverse patients in healthcare can create cost-effective improvements and enhanced efficiency in care that has high patient acceptability and numerous health benefits, as well as improved provider satisfaction. A scoping review will be conducted to provide a cohesive and comprehensive understanding of patient engagement practices and the resulting outcomes.

COVID-related disruptions and adaptations to prison-based mental health and substance use services: a narrative review.

Purpose: Public health experts and advocates have long raised concerns about the pandemic preparedness of prison systems worldwide - an issue that became increasingly salient at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. People in prison experience poorer health outcomes compared to the general population, making timely access to adequate health services in prison critical for their health and wellbeing. This study aims to identify the extent of the literature on initial changes in mental health and substance use services for people in prison during the COVID-19 pandemic, summarize and synthesize the findings and identify areas in need of further study.

Interventions in ambulatory healthcare settings to reduce social isolation among adults aged 18-64: a systematic review.

Background: Social isolation is associated with increased all-cause and premature mortality, poor chronic disease management, and mental health concerns. Limited research exists on interventions addressing social isolation among individuals under 65 despite its increasing prevalence among young and middle-aged adults.

Aim: To identify interventions from the extant literature that address social isolation and loneliness in ambulatory healthcare settings in adults aged 18-64 and to identify elements of successful studies for future intervention design.

Role of Antioxidant Therapy in the Treatment and Prognosis of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: A significant aspect of the SARS-CoV-2 pathology involves oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance between the production of harmful free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses. With the ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the investigation into non-virus-specific therapeutic options, such as antioxidant therapy, has gained importance.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize data from randomized control trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antioxidant therapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Guidelines and recommendations about virtual mental health services from high-income countries: a rapid review.

Objectives: This study reviewed existing recommendations for virtual mental healthcare services through the quadruple aim framework to create a set of recommendations on virtual healthcare delivery to guide the development of Canadian policies on virtual mental health services.

Design: We conducted a systematic rapid review with qualitative content analysis of data from included manuscripts. The quadruple aim framework, consisting of improving patient experience and provider satisfaction, reducing costs and enhancing population health, was used to analyse and organise findings.

Interventions Designed to Increase the Uptake of Lung Cancer Screening: An Equity-Oriented Scoping Review.

Introduction: Participation in lung cancer screening (LCS) is lower in populations with the highest burden of lung cancer risk (through the social patterning of smoking behavior) and lowest levels of health care utilization (through structurally inaccessible care) leading to a widening of health inequities.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review using the Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework to inform equitable access to LCS by illuminating knowledge and implementation gaps in interventions designed to increase the uptake of LCS. We comprehensively searched for LCS interventions (Ovid Medline, Excerpta Medica database, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus from 2000 to June 22, 2021) and included peer-reviewed articles and gray literature published in the English language that describe an intervention designed to increase the uptake of LCS, charted data using our previously published tool and conduced a health equity analysis to determine the intended-unintended and positive-negative outcomes of the interventions for populations experiencing the greatest inequities.

Sexual health promotion for sexual and gender minorities in primary care: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) face health disparities related to systemic discrimination and barriers to sexual health. Sexual health promotion encompasses strategies that enable individuals, groups and communities to make informed decisions regarding their sexual well-being. Our objective is to describe the existing sexual health promotion interventions tailored for SGMs within the primary care context.

Using financial incentives to improve health service engagement and outcomes of adults experiencing homelessness: A scoping review of the literature.

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) have high rates of acute and chronic health conditions, complex support needs and often face multiple barriers to accessing health services. Financial incentive (FI) interventions have been found effective in improving service engagement and health outcomes for a range of health conditions, populations and settings, but little is known about their impact on PEH. We conducted a scoping review to explore the impact of FI interventions on treatment retention, adherence and other health outcomes of PEH.

Drug checking services for people who use drugs: a systematic review.

Background And Aims: Drug checking services provide people who use drugs with chemical analysis results of their drug samples while simultaneously monitoring the unregulated drug market. We sought to identify and synthesize literature on the following domains: (a) the influence of drug checking services on the behaviour of people who use drugs; (b) monitoring of drug markets by drug checking services; and (c) outcomes related to models of drug checking services.

Methods: Systematic review.

Interventions designed to increase the uptake of lung cancer screening and implications for priority populations: a scoping review protocol.

Background: When designing any health intervention, it is important to respond to the unequal determinants of health by prioritising the allocation of resources and tailoring interventions based on the disproportionate burden of illness. This approach, called the targeting of priority populations, can prevent a widening of health inequities, particularly those inequities which can be further widened by differences in the uptake of an intervention. The objective of this scoping review is to describe intervention(s) designed to increase the uptake of lung cancer screening, including the health impact on priority populations and to describe knowledge and implementation gaps to inform the design of equitable lung cancer screening.

COVID-19 Economic Response and Recovery: A Rapid Scoping Review.

This rapid scoping review of existing evidence and research gaps addressed the following question: what research evidence exists and what are the research gaps at global, regional, and national levels on interventions to protect jobs, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and formal/informal sector workers in socioeconomic response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic? The results are based on 79 publications deemed eligible for inclusion after the screening and prioritizing of 1,658 records. The findings are organized according to the 3 main categories of socioeconomic interventions-protecting jobs, enterprises, and workers-although the 3 are intertwined. Most results were derived from global-level gray literature with recommendations for interventions and implicit links to the sustainable development goals.

Pediatric timing of epinephrine doses: A systematic review.

Aim: To evaluate the optimal timing and doses of epinephrine for Infants and children suffering in-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL) for human randomized clinical trials and observational studies including comparative cohorts. Two investigators reviewed relevance of studies, extracted the data, conducted meta-analyses and assessed the risk of bias using the GRADE and CLARITY frameworks.

Impact evaluations of drug decriminalisation and legal regulation on drug use, health and social harms: a systematic review.

Objectives: To review the metrics and findings of studies evaluating effects of drug decriminalisation or legal regulation on drug availability, use or related health and social harms globally.

Design: Systematic review with narrative synthesis.

Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science and six additional databases for publications from 1 January 1970 through 4 October 2018.

The Route, Dose, and Interval of Epinephrine for Neonatal Resuscitation: A Systematic Review.

Context: Current International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommendations on epinephrine administration during neonatal resuscitation were derived in 2010 from indirect evidence in animal or pediatric studies.

Objective: Systematic review of human infant and relevant animal studies comparing other doses, routes, and intervals of epinephrine administration in neonatal resuscitation with (currently recommended) administration of 0.01 to 0.

Predictive value of hospital discharge neurological outcome scores for long-term neurological status following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review.

Introduction: Neurological status following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is commonly assessed using measures such as the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) at hospital discharge. However, it remains unclear if these measures accurately reflect long-term neurological status after discharge. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the association between post-arrest neurological outcome scores at hospital discharge and long-term (>6 months) neurological outcome scores.

Dying to Learn: A Scoping Review of Breast and Cervical Cancer Studies Focusing on Black Canadian Women.

Background: In Canada, data on race/ethnicity are not routinely collected. Black Canadian women may be under-screened for cervical/breast cancer and may be predisposed to worse outcomes, however data are difficult to find.

Objectives: A scoping review was conducted to identify common themes and gaps in the literature regarding cervical/breast cancer prevention and management in Black Canadian women.

The use of self-management strategies for problem gambling: a scoping review.

Background: Problem gambling (PG) is a serious public health concern that disproportionately affects people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and multimorbidity including mental health and substance use concerns. Little research has focused on self-help and self-management in gambling recovery, despite evidence that a substantial number of people do not seek formal treatment. This study explored the literature on PG self-management strategies.

Interventions for improved diabetes control and self-management among those experiencing homelessness: protocol for a mixed methods scoping review.

Background: Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that requires patients to be actively engaged in intensive self-management to achieve optimal clinical outcomes. Unfortunately, individuals who are experiencing homelessness often struggle to manage diabetes and consequently suffer numerous and severe complications-both acute and chronic. There are many barriers to optimal diabetes self-management among this population, and this may be exacerbated by the lack of tailoring and customization of care to this unique population.