Background: Research partnership approaches that engage community members within the research team (for example, integrated knowledge translation, community-based participatory research) are typically used to enhance the relevance and usefulness of research findings. However, research outcomes generated through partnered research do not de facto address the priorities of those most affected nor take inclusion or power dynamics into consideration. Consensus methods (for example, Delphi, Deliberative Dialogue) can be used to develop evidence-based solutions by addressing the groups' needs and priorities. Limited research has examined how consensus methods are used by research partnerships.Aims and objectives: Using the PRISMA-ScR checklist as a guide, this scoping review sought to better understand the use of consensus methods in research partnerships.Methods: The search strategy involved four databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL Plus). A total of 6,654 citations were screened, 404 were advanced for full text review, and 34 studies met eligibility criteria. Data from the 34 studies were extracted and iteratively analysed by three members of our research team.Findings:At least 11 different consensus methods were used with variations of the Delphi being most common. Issues of inclusion and power dynamics were rarely discussed. Overall, there was limited reporting of consensus methods, partnership approaches, and/or power dynamics.Discussion and conclusions: This review extends the literature by providing an overview of consensus methods that have been conducted in research partnerships and how they have been executed. We offer initial considerations for conducting and reporting on the use of consensus methods in research co-production.
Objective – During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of post-secondary institutions in British Columbia remained closed for a prolonged period, and volume on the provincial consortia chat service, AskAway, increased significantly. This study was designed to evaluate the content of AskAway transcripts for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years to determine if the content of questions varied during the pandemic. Methods – The following programs were used to evaluate the dataset of more than 70,000 transcripts: R, Python (pandas), Voyant Tools and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Results – Our findings indicate that the content of questions remained largely unchanged despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the related increase in volume of questions on the AskAway chat service. Conclusion – These findings suggest that the academic libraries covered by this study were well-poised to provide continued support of patrons through the AskAway chat service, despite an unprecedented closure of physical libraries, a significant increase in chat volume, and a time of global uncertainty.
Background: Research partnership approaches that engage community members within the research team (for example, integrated knowledge translation, community-based participatory research) are typically used to enhance the relevance and usefulness of research findings. However, research outcomes generated through partnered research do not de facto address the priorities of those most affected nor take inclusion or power dynamics into consideration. Consensus methods (for example, Delphi, Deliberative Dialogue) can be used to develop evidence-based solutions by addressing the groups' needs and priorities. Limited research has examined how consensus methods are used by research partnerships.Aims and objectives: Using the PRISMA-ScR checklist as a guide, this scoping review sought to better understand the use of consensus methods in research partnerships.Methods: The search strategy involved four databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL Plus). A total of 6,654 citations were screened, 404 were advanced for full text review, and 34 studies met eligibility criteria. Data from the 34 studies were extracted and iteratively analysed by three members of our research team.Findings:At least 11 different consensus methods were used with variations of the Delphi being most common. Issues of inclusion and power dynamics were rarely discussed. Overall, there was limited reporting of consensus methods, partnership approaches, and/or power dynamics.Discussion and conclusions: This review extends the literature by providing an overview of consensus methods that have been conducted in research partnerships and how they have been executed. We offer initial considerations for conducting and reporting on the use of consensus methods in research co-production.
Background Emblica officinalis (EO) fruit consumption has been found to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) physiological risk factors in preliminary clinical intervention trials; however, questions remain regarding the overall effectiveness of EO on CVD risk. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to: 1) systematically describe the clinical research examining EO; and 2) quantitatively assess the effects of EO on CVD physiological risk factors. Methods The Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar electronic platforms were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until April 7, 2021. Studies were included if they involved adults (age ≥ 18 years) ingesting a form of EO fruit; included blood lipids, blood pressure, and/or inflammatory biomarkers as outcomes; had clearly defined intervention and control treatments with pre- and post-intervention data; were peer-reviewed; and were written in English. Studies were excluded if they compared EO with another risk reduction intervention without a usual care control group. RCTs were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane risk-of-bias version 2 (ROB2) tool, qualitatively described, and quantitatively evaluated using random and fixed effect meta-analysis models. Results A total of nine RCTs ( n = 535 participants) were included for review. Included studies followed parallel-group ( n = 6) and crossover ( n = 3) designs, with EO dosage ranging from 500 mg/day to 1500 mg/day, and treatment duration ranging from 14 to 84 days. Meta-analyses revealed EO to have a significant composite effect at lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; Mean difference (MD) = -15.08 mg/dL [95% Confidence interval (CI) = -25.43 to -4.73], I 2 = 77%, prediction interval = -48.29 to 18.13), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C; MD = -5.43 mg/dL [95% CI = -8.37 to -2.49], I 2 = 44%), triglycerides (TG; MD = -22.35 mg/dL [95% CI = -39.71 to -4.99], I 2 = 62%, prediction interval = -73.47 to 28.77), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; MD = -1.70 mg/L [95% CI = -2.06 to -1.33], I 2 = 0%) compared with placebo. Conclusions Due to statistical and clinical heterogeneity in the limited number of clinical trials to date, the promising effects of EO on physiologic CVD risk factors in this review should be interpreted with caution. Further research is needed to determine if EO offers an efficacious option for primary or secondary prevention of CVD as either monotherapy or adjunct to evidence-based dietary patterns and/or standard pharmacotherapy.
OBJECTIVE:This scoping review describes resistance-based therapeutic exercise intervention characteristics for Achilles tendinopathy (AT) treatment (e.g., therapeutic dose, underlying mechanisms targeted by exercise) and assesses participant reporting characteristics.METHODS:Seven electronic databases were searched; studies delivering a resistance exercise-focused treatment for individuals with AT were included. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) and the ICON 2019 'Recommended standards for reporting participant characteristics in tendinopathy research' checklists framed data extraction, and study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool 2018 version.RESULTS:68 publications (describing 59 studies and 72 exercise programs) were included. Results demonstrate that therapeutic exercise interventions for AT are well reported according to the TIDieR checklist, and participant characteristics are well reported according to the ICON checklist. Various underlying therapeutic mechanisms were proposed, with the most common being increasing tendon strength, increasing calf muscle strength, and enhancing collagen synthesis.CONCLUSIONS:While evidence suggests that resistance-based therapeutic exercise interventions are effective in treating AT, more reporting on program fidelity, adherence, and compliance is needed. By summarizing currently published AT exercise programs and reporting key intervention characteristics in a single location, this review can assist clinicians in developing individualized resistance training programs for people with AT.
Spinal motoneurons contain many ion channels and receptors upon which various cannabinoids are known to act. This scoping review involved the synthesis of evidence from literature published before August 2022 about the effects of cannabinoids on quantifiable measures of motoneuron output. Four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science CoreCollection) were queried and 4,237 unique articles were retrieved. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, and the findings from these studies were grouped according to four emergent themes: rhythmic motoneuron output, afferent feedback integration, membrane excitability, and neuromuscular junction transmission. This synthesis of evidence suggests that CB1 agonists can increase the frequency of cyclical patterns of motoneuron output (i.e., fictive locomotion). Furthermore, a majority of the evidence indicates that activating CB1 receptors at motoneuron synapses promotes excitation of motoneurons by enhancing excitatory synaptic transmission and depressing inhibitory synaptic transmission. The collated study results reveal variable effects of cannabinoids on acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction, and the influence of cannabinoids in this area requires more work to ensure precision of findings for CB1 agonist and antagonist impact. Altogether, these reports indicate that the endocannabinoid system is integral within the final common pathway and can impact motor output. This review contributes to understanding the effects of endocannabinoids on synaptic integration at the motoneuron and modulation of motor output.
BACKGROUND:Fall-related injuries can reduce older adults' independence and result in economic burdens. The assistive technologies and home modifications explored in this review are suggested to reduce the risk of falls of community-dwelling older people. However, the location of the in-home assistive technology being used, and the in-home modification likely interact and influence fall reduction and injury prevention of community-dwelling older adults. This interactive effect is poorly understood. A better understanding of the impact of assistive technologies and modifications in the homes of older adults is needed to support the appropriate application of these devices.OBJECTIVE:The objective of this systematic review is to detail the contribution of assistive technology and home modification on falls, fall frequency, fall severity, and fall location within the homes of community-dwelling older adults.METHODS:We will source articles from 3 databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection) and will assess them using a set of pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Reporting will be in accordance with PRISMA 2020. Two independent reviewers will screen each study at the title and abstract and full-text level. We are managing citations within the Covidence software. Data extraction and analysis will be reported in a systematic review.DISCUSSION:The outcome variables of interest are fall frequency, fall location, injury, mortality, and hospitalization. These variables of interest all relate to falls, their severity, and their locations in the home. We are seeking a better understanding of how these outcomes vary with the use of different assistive technologies and home modifications as reported in the literature. This will help us understand where falls occur which may inform how different assistive technologies can be used by community-dwelling older adults to prevent falls and adverse outcomes in different areas of their homes. Our review will provide a basis for more intentional prescription of ambulatory assistive technologies and evidence-based recommendations of home modifications. It may also inform adaptations to existing technologies to foster safer mobility in the homes of community-dwelling older adults.SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:This protocol has been submitted for registration in PROSPERO CRD42022370172 on October 24, 2022.
To synthesize the barriers to primary care provider (PCP)–led cancer survivorship care (≤ 5 years after initial cancer treatment) experienced by healthcare systems around the world, and to explore potential solutions that would succeed within a developed country. A scoping review of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature was conducted. Four electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, and Google Scholar) were searched for articles prior to April 2021. Ninety-seven articles published across the globe (USA, Canada, Australia, European Union, and UK) met the review inclusion/exclusion criteria. The four most frequently discussed barriers to PCP-led survivorship care in healthcare systems were as follows: (1) insufficient communication between PCPs and cancer specialists, (2) limited PCP knowledge, (3) time restrictions for PCPs to provide comprehensive survivorship care, and (4) a lack of resources (e.g., survivorship care guidelines). Potential solutions to combat these barriers were as follows: (1) improving interdisciplinary communication, (2) bolstering PCP education, and (3) providing survivorship resources. This scoping review identified and summarized key barriers and solutions to the provision of PCP-led cancer survivorship care. Importantly, the findings from this review provide insight and direction to guide optimization of cancer care practice within BC’s healthcare system. Optimizing the PCP-led survivorship care model will be a valuable contribution to the field of cancer survivorship care and will hopefully lead to more widespread use of this model, ultimately lessening the growing demand for cancer-specific care by cancer specialists.
Abstract Background Accurate, consistent assessment of outcomes and impacts is challenging in the health research partnerships domain. Increased focus on tool quality, including conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics, could improve the quantification, measurement and reporting partnership outcomes and impacts. This cascading review was undertaken as part of a coordinated, multicentre effort to identify, synthesize and assess a vast body of health research partnership literature. Objective To systematically assess the outcomes and impacts of health research partnerships, relevant terminology and the type/use of theories, models and frameworks (TMF) arising from studies using partnership assessment tools with known conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics. Methods Four electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus and PsycINFO) from inception to 2 June 2021. We retained studies containing partnership evaluation tools with (1) conceptual foundations (reference to TMF), (2) empirical, quantitative psychometric evidence (evidence of validity and reliability, at minimum) and (3) one or more pragmatic characteristics. Outcomes, impacts, terminology, definitions and TMF type/use were abstracted verbatim from eligible studies using a hybrid (independent abstraction–validation) approach and synthesized using summary statistics (quantitative), inductive thematic analysis and deductive categories (qualitative). Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD). Results Application of inclusion criteria yielded 37 eligible studies. Study quality scores were high (mean 80%, standard deviation 0.11%) but revealed needed improvements (i.e. methodological, reporting, user involvement in research design). Only 14 (38%) studies reported 48 partnership outcomes and 55 impacts; most were positive effects (43, 90% and 47, 89%, respectively). Most outcomes were positive personal, functional, structural and contextual effects; most impacts were personal, functional and contextual in nature. Most terms described outcomes (39, 89%), and 30 of 44 outcomes/impacts terms were unique, but few were explicitly defined (9, 20%). Terms were complex and mixed on one or more dimensions (e.g. type, temporality, stage, perspective). Most studies made explicit use of study-related TMF (34, 92%). There were 138 unique TMF sources, and these informed tool construct type/choice and hypothesis testing in almost all cases (36, 97%). Conclusion This study synthesized partnership outcomes and impacts, deconstructed term complexities and evolved our understanding of TMF use in tool development, testing and refinement studies. Renewed attention to basic concepts is necessary to advance partnership measurement and research innovation in the field. Systematic review protocol registration: PROSPERO protocol registration: CRD42021137932 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=137932 .
Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) refers to the suite of tools and services that enables the collection, processing, dissemination, and disposition of research data. This includes strategies for planning, organizing, storing, sharing, computing, and ultimately archiving or destroying one's research data. These services must be supported by highly qualified personnel with the appropriate expertise. From May 17 - June 12, 2021, the University of British Columbia (UBC) Advanced Research Computing (UBC ARC) and the UBC Library from both Vancouver and Okanagan Campuses launched the DRI Needs Assessment Survey to investigate UBC researchers’ needs in 25 distinct DRI tools and services. The survey received a total of 241 responses, and following the survey, three focus groups were conducted with survey respondents to gain additional insights. This paper outlines the DRI Needs Assessment Survey and its findings, focusing on those directly related to UBC ARC services and training in high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud computing (“Cloud”), and discusses next steps for implementing a more collaborative, comprehensive research computing training and support model. Key findings suggest that while advanced research computing infrastructure is a key pillar of DRI, researchers utilizing UBC ARC also rely on a number of other DRI tools and services to conduct their research. These services are widely scattered across various departments and groups within and outside the institution and are oftentimes not well communicated, impacting researchers’ ability to find them. Current research training and support has been found to be inadequate, and there are duplicated service efforts occurring in silos, resulting in an inefficient service model and wasted funds.
STUDY DESIGN:Scoping review. OBJECTIVE:To identify and provide systematic overviews of partnership principles and strategies identified from health research about spinal cord injury (SCI) and related health conditions. METHODS:Four health electronic databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were searched from inception to March 2019. We included articles that described, reflected, and/or evaluated one or more collaborative research activities in health research about SCI, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, amputation, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, acquired brain injury, or wheelchair-users. Partnership principles (i.e. norms or values) and strategies (i.e. observable actions) were extracted and analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis. RESULTS:We included 39 articles about SCI (n = 13), stroke (n = 15), multiple sclerosis (n = 5), amputation (n = 2), cerebral palsy (n = 2), Parkinson's disease (n = 1), and wheelchair users (n = 1). We extracted 110 principles and synthesized them into 13 overarching principles. Principles related to building and maintaining relationships between researchers and research users were most frequently reported. We identified 32 strategies that could be applied at various phases of the research process and 26 strategies that were specific to a research phase (planning, conduct, or dissemination). CONCLUSION:We provided systematic overviews of principles and strategies for research partnerships. These could be used by researchers and research users who want to work in partnership to plan, conduct and/or disseminate their SCI research. The findings informed the development of the new SCI Integrated Knowledge Translation Guiding Principles (www.iktprinciples.com) and will support the implementation of these Principles within the SCI research system.
Novel antiseizure medications are thought to be safer than their conventional counterparts, though no dedicated analysis of movement disorder risk among pediatric populations using novel antiseizure medications has been completed. We report a systematic review with meta-analysis describing the relationship between novel antiseizure medications and movement disorders in pediatrics.MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched up to October 2020 for randomized controlled trials investigating novel antiseizure medications in pediatric populations. Antiseizure medications included lacosamide, perampanel, eslicarbazepine, rufinamide, fenfluramine, cannabidiol, and brivaracetam. Outcomes were pooled using random effects models; risk difference (RD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.Twenty-three studies were selected from 1690 nonredundant manuscripts (n = 1912 total). There was a significantly increased risk of movement disorders associated with perampanel (RD 0.07, 95% CI 0.01-0.13; n = 133), though only 1 relevant trial was found. No increased risk of movement disorders was found with other antiseizure medications.Our findings indicate most novel antiseizure medications are safe to use in pediatric populations with respect to movement disorders. However, findings were limited by quality of adverse event reporting.
The scientific, social, and economic advantages that accrue from Open Science (OS) practices-ways of doing research that emphasize reproducibility, transparency, and accessibility at all stages of the research cycle-are now widely recognized in nations around the world and by international bodies such as the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. However, program wide or coordinated instruction of undergraduate students in OS practices remains uncommon. At the University of British Columbia in Canada, we have started to develop a comprehensive undergraduate OS program that can be adapted to and woven into diverse subject curricula. We report on the context and planning of the pilot module of the program, "Open Science 101", its implementation in first-year Biology in Fall 2019, and qualitative results of an attitudinal survey of students following their course.
Background Patient and public involvement (PPI) in health research is an area of growing interest. Several studies have examined the use and impact of PPI in knowledge syntheses (systematic, scoping, and related reviews); however, few studies have focused specifically on the patient or public coauthorship of such reviews. Objective This study seeks to identify published systematic and scoping reviews coauthored by patient or public partners and examine the characteristics of these coauthored reviews, such as which journals publish them, geographic location of research teams, and terms used to describe patient or public partner authors in affiliations, abstracts, or article text. Methods We searched CAB Direct, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), and PsycInfo from 2011 to May 2019, with a supplementary search of several PPI-focused databases. We refined the Ovid MEDLINE search by examining frequently used words and phrases in relevant search results and searched Ovid MEDLINE using the modified search strategy in June 2020. Results We screened 13,998 results and found 37 studies that met our inclusion criteria. In line with other PPI research, we found that a wide range of terms were used for patient and public authors in author affiliations. In some cases, partners were easy to identify with titles such as patient, caregiver or consumer representative, patient partner, expert by experience, citizen researcher, or public contributor. In 11% (n=4) of studies, they were identified as members of a panel or advisory council. In 27% (n=10) of articles, it was either impossible or difficult to tell whether an author was a partner solely from the affiliation, and confirmation was found elsewhere in the article. We also investigated where in the reviews the partner coauthors’ roles were described, and when possible, what their specific roles were. Often, there was little or no information about which review tasks the partner coauthors contributed to. Furthermore, only 14% (5/37) of reviews mentioned patient or public involvement as authors in the abstract; involvement was often only indicated in the author affiliation field or in the review text (most often in the methods or contributions section). Conclusions Our findings add to the evidence that searching for coproduced research is difficult because of the diversity of terms used to describe patient and public partners, and the lack of consistent, detailed reporting about PPI. For better discoverability, we recommend ensuring that patient and public authorships are indicated in commonly searched database fields. When patient and public-authored research is easier to find, its impact will be easier to measure.
Background Both high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training demonstrate beneficial physiological outcomes for active and insufficiently active populations. However, it remains unclear whether compliance to exercise in supervised settings translates to long-term adherence to physical activity in real-world, unstructured environments. To our knowledge, no comprehensive review is available on compliance and/or adherence rates to either modes of exercise for insufficiently active individuals. Furthermore, it is unclear which training modality insufficiently active individuals comply and/or adhere more readily to. Based on these gaps, the following two questions will be addressed: (1) What are compliance and adherence rates to high-intensity interval training for insufficiently active adults aged 18–65 years and (2) How do compliance and adherence rates differ between high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training? Methods Both observational and experimental studies that report on compliance and/or adherence rates to high-intensity interval training will be included. Relevant studies will be retrieved from Medline, EMBASE, PsychINFO, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science using a pre-specified search strategy. Pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used by two independent researchers to determine eligible studies. Of those meeting the inclusion criteria, data extraction and narrative synthesis will be completed, and where applicable, random-effects meta-analyses will be computed to compare compliance and adherence rates between high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training. Meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses will be used to further explore factors that could influence aggregate effect sizes. Risk of bias will be assessed using established tools by the Cochrane association, and quality assessment of the cumulative evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach. Discussion Results from this study may have the potential to inform future physical activity recommendations and guidelines on the ideal mode of exercise for the general population. This review will add to the body of literature on the feasibility of high-intensity interval training for an insufficiently active population, conclusively addressing the ongoing debate of whether it is an appropriate exercise choice for this demographic. With this new information, individuals working towards a healthier lifestyle through physical activity engagement may be better equipped to make an evidence-based decision. Systematic review registration This review has been registered in the PROSPERO database and assigned the identifier CRD42019103313 .
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK Library, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada AdamVirgile.com, New York City, New York, USA