Pedro Bezerra Xavier, Isis of Siqueira Silva, Renan Cabral of Figueiredo, Aguinaldo Jose de Araujo, Amanda Jessica Bernardo da Silva, Severina Alice da Costa Uchôa
Abstract
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) represent a significant global challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The introduction of digital health in Primary Health Care (PHC) has the potential to improve the quality of care for people with NCDs by offering tools such as telemedicine, mobile applications and other information and communication technologies.
Introduction
Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular, chronic respiratory, and metabolic conditions, are major contributors to global morbidity and premature mortality, disproportionately impacting low- and middle-income countries [1, 2].
Methods
This is a Scoping Review protocol based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) criteria, guided by the theoretical framework of Arksey and O’malley [29], with updates by Levac [30] and Peters [31], as well as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) [32, 33].
Results
The preparation of this protocol resulted in a complex and systematic search strategy, as recommended by PRISMA-ScR. The sample selection flow (Fig 1) shows the results obtained from different data sources, based on the search strategy proposed in this protocol.
Discussion
The development of this scoping review protocol contributes to defining the objective and research questions. By previously defining the inclusion and exclusion criteria, search methods and analysis strategy, the protocol minimizes the risk of bias in the selection of studies and the interpretation of results [48, 49].
Conclusion
In summary, this scoping review protocol represents a significant effort to investigate the impact of digital technologies on the management of NCDs in PHC. This work presents a robust theoretical basis and rigorous methodology aligned with scientific guidelines, and is useful for conducting a review that explores and synthesizes a diverse corpus of evidence.
Citation: Xavier PB, Silva ÍdS, de Figueiredo RC, de Araújo AJ, da Silva AJB, Uchôa SAdC (2025) Impact of digital health on the quality of primary care for people with chronic noncommunicable diseases: A scoping review protocol. PLoS ONE 20(2): e0316278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316278
Editor: Sheila Rizzato Stopa, Health Researcher, BRAZIL
Received: August 11, 2024; Accepted: December 9, 2024; Published: February 21, 2025
Copyright: © 2025 Xavier et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.
Funding: This study was financed in part by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Abbreviations: AI, Artificial Intelligence; BVS, Virtual health library; CAPES, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; DeCS, Health Sciences Descriptors; ETD, Electronic Theses and Dissertations; ICTs, Information and Communication Technologies; JBI, Joanna Briggs Institute; MeSH, Medical Subject Headings; NCDs, Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases; OSF, Open Science Framework; PCC, Population, Concept, and Context; PHC, Primary Health Care; PRISMA-ScR, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews; SDS, Sustainable Development Goals; WHO, World Health Organization.
