Screening for depression among Spanish-speaking patients in primary care settings within the USA: a scoping review protocol to inform clinical practices

Introduction
In 2016, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended depression screening for all adults in the public sector, with screening frequency determined by clinical judgement and patient circumstances. This practice aims to enable timely diagnosis and treatment, reducing long-term healthcare costs associated with this chronic health condition. However, the USPSTF offered no written recommendations for primary care settings serving non-English-speaking populations, particularly where providers speak English and patients speak Spanish. While some research exists on depression screening in linguistically diverse settings, the use of validated Spanish-language screenings in primary care settings is underexplored when it comes to implementing the USPSTF’s recommendation. This scoping review addresses this knowledge gap by (1) assessing the extent to which Spanish-speaking patients in the USA receive depression screening in Spanish and (2) using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) 2.0 to categorise barriers and facilitators to implementing Spanish-language depression screening tools in USA primary care settings. The findings will identify areas needing further research to improve depression screening guidelines for primary care practices serving Spanish-speaking patients.

Methods and analysis
This scoping review follows the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review methodology, updated by Levac and colleagues. The reporting protocol adheres to PRISMA-ScR. A systematic search will be conducted in PubMed, Embase, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science Core Collection for studies on Spanish-language depression screening for adults in non-Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in the USA, excluding those focused on youth or adolescents. We will extract data from qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies on screening. We will also examine studies addressing provider-reported comfort and competency in screening Spanish-speaking patients. We hypothesise that primary care clinics have implemented strategies for screening Spanish-speaking patients for depression driven by healthcare provider initiatives, local policies, research funding or community needs. The review will extract data on sample size, study methodology, primary care settings, patient and provider demographics, depression screeners used, and barriers and facilitators to screening. The quality of the studies will be appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

Ethics and dissemination
At Brown University, scoping reviews that analyse and synthesise existing research do not require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, provided they do not involve primary data collection or direct interaction with human subjects. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and community workshops to improve practices and policies addressing language barriers in depression screening and care.

Registration details
This scoping review protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) at https://osf.io/dyru5.

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Timely post-discharge medication reviews to Improve Continuity–the Transitions Of Care stewardship (TIC TOC) study in rural and regional Australia: a parallel-group randomised controlled trial study protocol

Introduction
Transition of care from hospital is a period when the risks of medication errors and adverse events are high, with 50% of adults discharged having at least one medication-related problem. Pharmacist-led medication reviews can reduce medication errors and unplanned readmission when completed promptly post-discharge; however, they are underutilised. A Transition of Care Stewardship pharmacist has been proposed to facilitate and coordinate a patient’s discharge process and facilitate a timely post-discharge medication review. Access to pharmacist medication review in rural and regional areas can be limited. This protocol describes a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether a virtual Transition of Care Stewardship pharmacist reduces medication-related harm in rural and regional Australia.

Method and analysis
Multicentre RCT involving patients at high risk of medication-related harm discharged from regional and rural hospitals to a domiciliary residence. Eligible patients must be aged≥18 years, admitted under a medical specialty, be discharged to a domiciliary setting, have a regular general practitioner (GP) or be willing to visit a GP or an Aboriginal Medical Service after discharge for medical follow-up, have a Medicare card and be at high risk of readmission. High risk of readmission is defined as either a previous admission to the hospital or Emergency Department (ED) presentation in the past 6 months AND≥three regular medications OR on at least ONE high-risk medication. A total of 922 participants will be recruited into the study. Enrolled participants will be randomised to the intervention or control (usual care). The intervention will include a virtual Transition Of Care Stewardship pharmacist to ensure that patients receive discharge medication reconciliation, medication counselling, medication list and communicate directly with primary care providers to facilitate a timely post-discharge medication review. Usual care will include informing the patient’s clinical inpatient treating team that the patient is at high risk of medication misadventure and may benefit from a post-discharge Home Medicines Review (a GP-referred pharmacist medication review funded by the Australian Government).
Data analysis will be performed on a modified intent-to-treat basis. The primary outcome assessed is a composite of a first unplanned medication-related hospitalisation or ED presentation within 30 days of hospital discharge. Comparisons between the intervention and usual care groups for the primary outcome will be made using a mixed-effects logistic regression model, adjusting for site-level clustering as a random effect.

Ethics and dissemination
This study is approved to be conducted at the Western New South Wales Local Health District via the Research Ethics and Governance Information System (approval number: 2023/ETH00978). To ensure the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients are appropriately addressed, ethics for this study were submitted and approved by the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (approval number: 2148/23). Manuscripts resulting from this trial will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Results may also be disseminated at scientific conferences and meetings with key stakeholders.

Trial registration number
ACTRN12623000727640.

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Experiences of adopting remote technologies for blood pressure control among women with pre-eclampsia and healthcare providers: a systematic review of qualitative studies

Introduction
Pre-eclampsia is a harmful and potentially life-threatening condition affecting maternal health and fetal well-being. In response to the need for timely and continuous monitoring, remote health technologies have been implemented for blood pressure control among this group over the last decades. The purpose of this study is to synthesise qualitative evidence on the experiences of adopting remote technologies for blood pressure control among women with pre-eclampsia and their healthcare providers.

Methods
Peer-reviewed publications published in English from January 2013 to March 2023 were searched using seven electronic databases: PubMed, Nursing & Allied Health Premium (ProQuest), Scopus, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis Online, Google Scholar and EBSCO Open Dissertations. The findings were subjected to meta-synthesis using the Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregation approach, whereby credible and unequivocal findings supported by participant quotations were extracted, grouped into categories and then integrated into synthesised findings through consensus among reviewers. A total of 4827 studies were identified in the initial database search. Twelve eligible studies were included in the meta-synthesis.

Results
Among 12 studies, five synthesised findings were elicited from women’s experiences with remote monitoring, including reassurance and increased self-confidence in health, a sense of autonomy, enhanced awareness of their health, acceptability and satisfaction with telehealth and reduced anxiety and stress. Providers’ perspectives on telehealth were presented in four synthesised findings: increasing value for oneself and work, strengthening knowledge and skills on pre-eclampsia, improving quality of care and concerns about technology challenges.

Conclusion
Healthcare providers reported professional growth and improved care delivery, though technical challenges persist. These findings support the integration of remote monitoring into maternal healthcare.

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Patient-informed outpatient intervention to improve pregnancy outcomes through connections to social services: protocol for the BETTER randomised controlled trial

Introduction
A substantial portion of the 3.6 million births per year in the USA (approximately 25%–30%) occur in the context of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including preterm birth (PTB), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth. Black individuals have a 2–3-fold higher risk of APOs and a similarly increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality compared with White individuals. Adverse social determinants of health (SDoH) are at the root of this disparity and contribute to it through multiple mechanisms. Maternal anaemia is an upstream factor associated with severe maternal morbidity, maternal mortality and other APOs and is also associated with adverse SDoH. Effectively and efficiently addressing social needs arising from adverse SDoH in the obstetric setting can be difficult due to varying patient preferences, resource accessibility and clinic workflows. The Better Birth Outcomes Through Technology, Education and Reporting (BETTER) intervention attempts to account for these barriers by encouraging patients to address social needs through motivational interviewing and by sending recurring text messages that provide links to multiple kinds of social service resources.

Methods and analysis
We will use a two-arm randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effects of providing patients with a motivational interviewing session and text messages with links to multiple resources to address their social needs compared with patients receiving usual care. We will recruit 550 pregnant individuals less than 21 weeks of gestation from two university prenatal clinics that primarily serve Medicaid-covered individuals in an urban city in the Midwestern USA. We will assess whether the intervention reduces the primary outcome of maternal anaemia measured as haemoglobin

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Hospital at home digital twin for the management of patients with frailty: a scoping review protocol

Introduction
Patients with frailty are at risk of adverse outcomes such as mortality, falls, deconditioning and hospital readmissions. With an increasingly ageing population and a greater likelihood of frailty, there is a significant need to ensure that patients are managed in the right place and at the right time. There has been a focus on offering hospital-level care at home as a way to meet this need, incorporating strategies to integrate care and use digital solutions. Digital twin (DT) technology is one advancement, offering a virtual replica of an object/environment, which has the potential to make use of real-time data personalised for an individual patient and/or setting to inform and support patient management decisions. We are yet to realise the full potential of this new way of integrated working and technological advancements. This scoping review aims to ascertain the current evidence for the components of the DT architecture to enable the monitoring and management of patients with frailty living at home.

Methods
This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The following electronic databases will be searched: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science and Scopus. Relevant websites will be searched for grey literature or case reports to capture the required information, as well as any documents provided by stakeholders. Primary studies, published in the English language from 2019 to the present day, which report on the monitoring or management of patients with long-term conditions and frailty within their home environment, will be included. Screening will be conducted by at least two independent reviewers against eligibility criteria, and a piloted data extraction form will be used to align with the research questions. Qualitative content analysis will be used. Data will be presented in tabular form, as well as descriptive and illustrative formats, to address the objectives of this review.

Ethics and dissemination
This scoping review does not require ethical approval. The findings of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences and will support the development of a conceptual model of a hospital-at-home DT for the management of patients with frailty.

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Incidence and predictors of mortality among children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to therapeutic feeding units in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective
To estimate the mortality rate and identify predictors of mortality among under-five children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admitted to therapeutic feeding units (TFUs) in Ethiopia.

Methods
We searched PubMed, HINARI, Science Direct, Google Scholar and African Journals Online from 1 March to 30 May 2024. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to appraise the included studies. Heterogeneity was identified using I2 statistics. Funnel plots and Egger’s tests were used to determine publication bias.

Results
Out of 1085 studies, 15 were included in this analysis. The pooled mortality rate among under-five children with SAM admitted to TFUs in Ethiopia was 8.32 per 1000 person-days of observation (95% CI: 6.25 to 11.06). The mortality rate has not changed over time. HIV infection (HR: 2.84; 95% CI: 1.25 to 6.42), tuberculosis (HR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.56), intravenous fluid use (HR: 3.37; 95% CI: 2.39 to 4.75), altered body temperature (HR: 4.47; 95% CI: 1.90 to 10.51), impaired consciousness (HR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.94 to 4.37), not receiving F-100 supplementation (HR: 4.51; 95% CI: 3.25 to 6.26), shock (HR: 4.20; 95% CI: 2.92 to 6.04), and nasogastric tube feeding (HR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.67 to 2.44) were predictors of mortality.

Conclusion
The pooled mortality rate in Ethiopia was 8.32 per 1000 person-days, and it has not decreased over time. Most of the identified factors are related to comorbidities and complications of SAM, as well as nutritional therapy. Thus, it is essential to strengthen nutrition policies, programme implementation and healthcare services, which focus on the timely management of SAM complications, integrated care for comorbidities and improved F-100 supplementation.

PROSPERO registration number
CRD42024555014.

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Diagnostic performance of point shear wave elastography and vibration-controlled transient elastography in paediatric metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective
This study aimed to comprehensively assess the diagnostic accuracy of point shear wave elastography (pSWE) and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in paediatric metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach with random-effects models.

Data sources
PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Ovid (Medline), Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang and OpenGrey were searched for publications from April 1989 to July 2024.

Eligibility criteria
The study included relevant records on the application of pSWE and VCTE in diagnosing MASLD in children (

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Can a virtual multi-centre multi-disciplinary discussion improve the diagnosis and management of interstitial lung disease? A retrospective cohort study across multiple institutions

Introduction
Multi-disciplinary discussions (MDDs) improve diagnosis and management of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The value of a virtual multi-centre MDD (V-MCMDD) incorporating expertise from multiple institutions remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a V-MCMDD on diagnosis and management in ILD.

Methods
We conducted a retrospective multi-centre cohort study involving tertiary and secondary hospital clinics, private practices and community outpatient centres, all participating via a virtual platform. Between August 2020 and June 2023, patient cases were reviewed through V-MCMDDs, which included clinical, radiological, pathological and laboratory data. Each case was discussed to reach a consensus diagnosis and management plan.

Results
Following the V-MCMDD review, the diagnosis was revised in 51% of patients (p=0.031), and management plans were modified in 41% of cases. A significant shift in treatment was observed in patients with changed diagnoses vs unchanged diagnoses (p value=0.002).

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that the implementation of V-MCMDDs can be valuable in the diagnostic and therapeutic process for ILD. Incorporating input from multiple centres via a virtual format can lead to significant changes in both diagnosis and management, potentially improving patient outcomes.

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What matters to you? Improving the adoption of shared decision-making for birth planning in women with chronic hypertension: a multicentre multiple methods study

Objective
To explore the role of shared decision-making (SDM) in the implementation of evidence-based practice in women with chronic hypertension planning birth and investigate the barriers and the facilitators in the provision of antenatal care.

Methods
A multimethod multisite approach was used including case-note review (n=55) and structured observations (n=18) to assess the provision of third trimester antenatal care. The barriers and facilitators to implementation were identified from semistructured qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals (n=13) and pregnant women (n=14) using inductive thematic analysis. The findings were integrated and evaluated using the ‘Three Talk Model of Shared Decision-making’.

Setting and participants
Pregnant women with chronic hypertension, some with superimposed pre-eclampsia and their principal carers at three National Health Service hospital trusts.

Results
Healthcare professionals delivering care to pregnant women with high blood pressure were aligned with most communication practices (set out in the Calgary-Cambridge communication guide). Pregnant women with hypertension who described being engaged in shared decisions about birth developed a trusting relationship with their maternity team. Despite frequent caesarean section birth (52%) and early term birth (median gestation at delivery 38 weeks (IQR1 37 weeks, IQR3 39 weeks) identified by case-note review; integrated data (observations, case-note review and qualitative interviews) found pregnant women with high blood pressure were not regularly provided with personalised information based on what they would find helpful, encouraged to share their own thoughts or offered choice in relation to timing or mode of birth. Uncertainty regarding the evidence around optimal timing of birth was the main barrier identified by professionals. Facilitators included training for professionals in SDM, midwife-led antenatal classes for high-risk women and multiprofessional clinics.

Conclusions
Strategies to promote more widespread adoption of SDM are likely to improve the experiences of women with high blood pressure making decisions about childbirth.

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Evolution of medical students tolerance for uncertainty throughout their curriculum: a systematic mixed studies review protocol

Introduction
Understanding how uncertainty tolerance (UT) evolves in medical students is crucial to identify training needs and implement effective interventions. However, the dynamic nature of UT and the mechanisms behind its changes over time remain poorly understood. This systematic review aims to map the development of UT in medical students across the course of their training by synthesising the available evidence. We will adopt a systematic mixed studies review approach to provide an integrative synthesis of both quantitative and qualitative data, offering a comprehensive overview of UT temporal evolution.

Method and analysis
The protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We will conduct searches in Embase, Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ERIC, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO, from inception to July 2026. We will manually search the references of included studies and track citations through Google Scholar to identify additional eligible studies. Two reviewers will independently extract data from each eligible study using a pre-piloted Microsoft Excel data extraction form. A thematic synthesis will be employed to develop analytic themes from the existing literature, generating new concepts and explanatory hypotheses. Study quality will be evaluated using the QuADS score.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval is not necessary for this systematic review, as no primary data will be collected. The protocol for this review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO: CRD42024591340.

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[Articles] Pharmacological agents for procedural sedation and analgesia in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Although no pharmacological regimen demonstrates superior sedation success compared with propofol–opioids, which serve as the standard comparator, etomidate–opioids regimens offer a favorable balance between sedation efficacy and safety, though they warrant attention due to an increased risk of PONV. Esketamine–remimazolam demonstrates superior hemodynamic stability and faster recovery but may be less effective in achieving sedation success. Midazolam-based regimens demonstrate lower efficacy and prolonged recovery and are therefore not recommended.

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Cataracts: A Review

This Review summarizes current evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of cataracts, defined as progressive opacification or clouding of the eye’s natural lens.

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Palliative Care in the Emergency Department—Reply

In Reply We thank Dr Wong for his thoughtful review of our palliative care trial. We agree that the complexities around caring for persons with serious illness who present to the ED cannot be overstated. Also, safe ED discharge requires a team approach, including close coordination and communication between primary care clinicians, specialists, and other members of the interdisciplinary team. Two points require clarification when considering whether the ED is “the place” to integrate palliative care.

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Efficacy of subanaesthetic esketamine on the prevention of postoperative delirium in older adult patients after cardiovascular surgery: protocol for a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (SEPDOC trial) in China

Introduction
Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and serious complication in older adult patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. Esketamine is known for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. While it has shown preventive effects on POD in those not undergoing cardiovascular surgery, its efficacy in older adult patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery remains uncertain. Therefore, we herein aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of intraoperative subanaesthetic esketamine on POD in this specific population.

Methods and analysis
This single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will enrol 778 patients aged 60–80 years undergoing open-heart cardiovascular surgery in China, from September 2023 to December 2025. The participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the following groups: the esketamine group and the control group. In the esketamine group, esketamine (2 mg/mL) will be administered intravenously at a dosage of 0.3 mg/kg over 10 min following tracheal intubation, followed by a continuous infusion at 0.15 mg/kg/h until the end of the surgery. Patients in the control group will receive a placebo following the same dosage and regimen. The incidence of POD will be the primary outcome and will be assessed twice daily from the first to the seventh postoperative day. The postoperative sleep quality, duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital and intensive care unit stay will be the secondary outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital (No. 2023068). Public disclosure is guaranteed post-trial, and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Trial registration number
ChiCTR2300074395.

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Nursing research landscape in Malaysia: a systematic scoping review protocol on journal publications from 2015 to 2024

Introduction
The nursing profession has undergone significant evolution over the past century, shifting from a role traditionally viewed as an auxiliary to physicians to one of autonomous healthcare professionals equipped with specialised skills and expertise. This shift is driven by the increasing recognition of the importance of evidence-based practice in enhancing patient outcomes and advancing the field of nursing. Consequently, nursing research has emerged as a critical priority in the profession. This study seeks to explore the nursing research landscape in Malaysia, where data remain limited, by examining trends before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods and analysis
This scoping review will be conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework, using four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL for journal articles published between 2015 and 2024, and Web of Science for conference proceedings from the same period.

Ethics and dissemination
The findings from this scoping review will provide an overview of the nursing research landscape in the Malaysian context, offering insights that could guide the future advancement of nursing research in the country. The results will be disseminated through submission to a peer-reviewed scientific journal for publication. Ethical approval is not required for this scoping review, as it involves the synthesis of data from available published literature.

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Global prevalence of chronic kidney disease and associated risk factors in children and adolescents: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction
While chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well characterised in adults, less is known about the prevalence of CKD in children and adolescents, where it is rare and associated with unique characteristics and implications for long-term health outcomes. This study protocol outlines a systematic review to assess the global prevalence of CKD in children and adolescents along with causes and associated risk factors. This is warranted to better characterise prevalence and to identify at-risk groups that would benefit from screening efforts. We will explore the risk and burden of CKD and its variations by sociodemographic characteristics (age group, race, sex/gender) and geographical regions (country, International Society of Nephrology region and income groups based on World Bank country classifications).

Methods and analysis
We will conduct a systematic review of studies reporting on the prevalence of CKD in children and adolescents following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols 2015 (PRISMA-P-2015) and the PRISMA 2020 methodological guidelines (PRISMA 2020). Searches will be undertaken in the following databases with the date range from 2000 to date: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index (via Clarivate), Web of Science Core Collection, Google Scholar and grey literature sites (registries, government reports) to identify studies that report on the prevalence of CKD in children and adolescents from ages 0 to 18. The primary outcome will be the global prevalence of CKD in children and adolescents. Secondary outcomes will include the causes of and risk factors for CKD, and examining differences and temporal trends in CKD prevalence across countries, geographical regions, income levels and sociodemographic characteristics.

Ethics and dissemination
No direct involvement with patient data will be used in this systematic review, as data will be obtained from previously published reports. Ethical approval is therefore not required. Our findings will be published in an open-access peer-reviewed journal and presented at scientific conferences.

PROSPERO registration number
CRD42024547467.

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