Article type
Year
Abstract
Background
The multiple health impacts of climate change include the effects of increased heat, changes in the geographic range or seasonality of infectious diseases, or stress on health system weaknesses, with disproportionate impacts on marginalized and vulnerable populations. Due to the complexity of this topic, relevant evidence is complex and heterogenous.
Scoping reviews can map the literature relevant to a research question, and determine patterns and trends. Recently, several scoping reviews have been published on the health impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. There are limitations to available methodological guidelines for conducting scoping reviews in climate-health topics; specific recommendations would improve the rigour and utility of reviews.
Objective
To consider challenges for scoping reviews of climate-health topics and present recommendations for future methods.
Methods
We conducted a scoping review of scoping reviews on climate-health topics, extracting the research question/objective, methods guidance cited, and definition (if any) of climate change that was used. We combined the findings with the experience of team authors.
Results
Areas where further guidance would be useful include:
Establishing definitions of key terms that are workable for evidence synthesis purposes. Climate change, and climate change adaptation, are not simple or straightforward topics. Many scoping reviews equate evidence on the health impacts of extreme weather events with evidence of the impacts of climate change itself; however, this may not account for the dynamic nature of climate change-related impacts in the future. Authors should also develop familiarity with the statistical method of detection and attribution, which can determine the extent to which an extreme event was due to climate change.
Sources of evidence. Existing research may not always be sufficient to answer particular questions, and author teams may therefore need to find additional sources, such as expert knowledge, Delphi and other approaches, input from relevant populations and/or Indigenous knowledge. Methods for incorporating this evidence into scoping reviews are needed.
Balancing breadth and feasibility of what is included in the scoping review. The health impacts of climate change are, in many cases, not new, but rather differences in existing patterns of disease, exacerbations in pressures on health care systems, etc. Studies that are relevant to the scoping review question may not be framed from a climate change perspective, and the review must be designed to encompass literature from a wide range of disciplines. Review teams have to consider how to deal with large quantities of citations for screening, and data for inclusion.
Conclusions
Modifications to existing methodological guidelines for conducting scoping reviews are needed to improve the rigour and utility of reviews of climate-health topics.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement
None.
The multiple health impacts of climate change include the effects of increased heat, changes in the geographic range or seasonality of infectious diseases, or stress on health system weaknesses, with disproportionate impacts on marginalized and vulnerable populations. Due to the complexity of this topic, relevant evidence is complex and heterogenous.
Scoping reviews can map the literature relevant to a research question, and determine patterns and trends. Recently, several scoping reviews have been published on the health impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. There are limitations to available methodological guidelines for conducting scoping reviews in climate-health topics; specific recommendations would improve the rigour and utility of reviews.
Objective
To consider challenges for scoping reviews of climate-health topics and present recommendations for future methods.
Methods
We conducted a scoping review of scoping reviews on climate-health topics, extracting the research question/objective, methods guidance cited, and definition (if any) of climate change that was used. We combined the findings with the experience of team authors.
Results
Areas where further guidance would be useful include:
Establishing definitions of key terms that are workable for evidence synthesis purposes. Climate change, and climate change adaptation, are not simple or straightforward topics. Many scoping reviews equate evidence on the health impacts of extreme weather events with evidence of the impacts of climate change itself; however, this may not account for the dynamic nature of climate change-related impacts in the future. Authors should also develop familiarity with the statistical method of detection and attribution, which can determine the extent to which an extreme event was due to climate change.
Sources of evidence. Existing research may not always be sufficient to answer particular questions, and author teams may therefore need to find additional sources, such as expert knowledge, Delphi and other approaches, input from relevant populations and/or Indigenous knowledge. Methods for incorporating this evidence into scoping reviews are needed.
Balancing breadth and feasibility of what is included in the scoping review. The health impacts of climate change are, in many cases, not new, but rather differences in existing patterns of disease, exacerbations in pressures on health care systems, etc. Studies that are relevant to the scoping review question may not be framed from a climate change perspective, and the review must be designed to encompass literature from a wide range of disciplines. Review teams have to consider how to deal with large quantities of citations for screening, and data for inclusion.
Conclusions
Modifications to existing methodological guidelines for conducting scoping reviews are needed to improve the rigour and utility of reviews of climate-health topics.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement
None.