ObjectivesTo map the existing literature and describe interventions aimed at building the capacity of patients to participate in care during hospitalisation by: (1) describing and categorising the aspects of care targeted by these interventions and (2) identifying the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used in these interventions. A patient representative participated in all aspects of this project.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL (Inception −2017).Study selectionStudies reporting primary research studies on building the capacity of hospitalised adult patients to participate in care which described or included one or more structured or systematic interventions and described the outcomes for at least the key stakeholder group were included.Data extractionTitle and abstract screening and full text screening were conducted by pairs of trained reviewers. One reviewer extracted data, which were verified by a second reviewer. Interventions were classified according to seven aspects of care relevant to hospital settings. BCTs identified in the articles were assigned through consensus of three reviewers.ResultsDatabase searches yielded a total 9899 articles, resulting in 87 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Interventions directed at building patient capacity to participate in care while hospitalised were categorised as those related to improving: patient safety (20.9%); care coordination (5.7%); effective treatment (5.7%) and/or patient-centred care using: bedside nursing handovers (5.7%); communication (29.1%); care planning (14%) or the care environment (19.8%). The majority of studies reported one or more positive outcomes from the defined intervention. Adding new elements (objects) to the environment and restructuring the social and/or physical environment were the most frequently identified BCTs.ConclusionsThe majority of studies to build capacity for participation in care report one or more positive outcomes, although a more comprehensive analysis is warranted.

BackgroundWhile effective engagement of patients and families in treatment is increasingly viewed as a priority for many healthcare systems, much remains to be learned about the nature and outcomes of approaches that seek to accomplish this goal in the acute care hospital setting. Wide variability in the implementation of practices designed to promote patient and family engagement in hospitals has been noted. Approaches aimed at promoting patient and family engagement in treatment share the over-arching goal of changing behaviors of patients, families, and healthcare providers and possibly administrators. Behavior change techniques (BCTs) can be a key element of patient and family engagement approaches. This scoping review will contribute to the development of an evidence base detailing that the BCTs have potential to be effective in patient and family engagement interventions. The specific objectives of this review are to (a) identify and classify approaches used in acute care hospitals to engage patient and families in treatment according to the behavior change technique taxonomy; and (b) evaluate and synthesize the outcomes for these approaches for patients and families, healthcare providers, and health administrators/funders.MethodsThis systematic scoping review will allow us to determine the extent, range, and nature of research activity related to initiatives designed to promote patient and family engagement in care. A comprehensive electronic literature search will be conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Studies will be included if they report on outcomes of a structured or systematic approach to the promotion of adult inpatient and family engagement in treatment in acute care settings. Studies will be selected in a two-stage screening process (title and abstract; full text) and quality will be assessed using the mixed methods assessment tool. Data extraction will include narrative descriptions of the intervention and classification of the behavior change techniques employed.DiscussionThis review aims to identify and classify the specific behavior change techniques underpinning patient and family engagement interventions used in acute care hospital settings. By identifying the “active ingredients” in these interventions, our findings will be transferable to a wide range of acute care hospital contexts and populations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-018-0694-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Home food production plays a critical role in food security for residents of Trinidad and Tobago and around the world. The purpose of this study was to examine barriers and benefits that influence residents’ engagement in or rejection of home food production to inform social marketing programs. To address study objectives, interviews were conducted with 40 participants who represented five distinct Habitat for Humanity communities. Four subthemes emerged among the benefits associated with engaging in home food production: economic benefits, food safety, sharing and reciprocity, and personal well-being. Among the barriers, subthemes included: monetary expenses associated with start-up, lack of nonmonetary resources, lack of experience, generational disconnect, and barriers beyond human control such as the weather. While findings revealed many factors may hinder residents growing food around homes, there were high perceived social and financial values associated with this practice. Implications point to strategies that agricultural education professionals can use to encourage home food production among Trinidadians and in other locations.