Men’s sheds as community-based health promotion for men aged 50 plus: protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review

Abstract

Background Men are less likely to participate in health promotion. One approach to reach men is the concept of men’s sheds. This community-based health promotion concept brings older men together to engage in joint activities. Prior research revealed various health-related effects of men’s sheds, such as benefits for well-being and mental health. To strengthen the current evidence base of men’s sheds, a mixed-methods systematic review analysing the association between participation and self-rated health, subjective well-being, and social isolation will be conducted. Moreover, information on how to successfully implement men’s sheds will be gathered. Methods This mixed-methods systematic review will follow the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and OpenGrey and the websites of men’s sheds associations will be searched for publications. Additionally, a hand search in the reference lists of the included publications will be conducted. Qualitative and quantitative studies published in English, German, or French will be considered for inclusion. The quality of the selected studies will be assessed using the JBI critical appraisal checklists. Following the convergent integrated approach, quantitative data will be transformed into textual descriptions, and subsequently combined with data from qualitative studies as well as from the qualitative components of mixed-methods studies in a simultaneous data synthesis. Discussion The results of this systematic review will lead to a comprehensive understanding of the current evidence base regarding the effectiveness of men’s sheds. Furthermore, they will provide useful implications for the implementation of men’s sheds. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020219390

Understanding Shedders: Which Sociodemographic, Health and Wellbeing Characteristics Best Inform Appropriate Health Promotion Action and A ‘Shed for Life’?

“…The aim of this paper was to describe the sociodemographic and health and wellbeing characteristics of a cohort of Shedders (n=384) who enrolled in a health promotion initiative (SFL) in the Shed setting. Previous studies have identified a distinct lack of such data [3,13,20,21], making it difficult to adjudicate on the merits of the Shed as a setting for targeted health promotion interventions or on what the composition of such initiatives should be. Findings will have an important bearing on the scale-up of SFL as well as highlighting areas where diversification is needed to respond effectively to the needs of the target group.…”

“…Alongside the utility of SFL in providing a template for structured health promotion in Sheds, there is also a need to address a deficit in the men's health literature in terms of the demographic of men who participate in health promotion in Sheds. Indeed, findings on Shed outcomes generally highlighted in previous scoping and narrative reviews, are predominantly based on small scale qualitative studies, with a distinct lack of information on the demographics of Shed participants, typically limited to age and gender [3,13,20,21]. Moreover, researchers have identified a lack of quantitative and mixed methods approaches, as well as limited use of validated measures to measure health outcomes [21].…”

The Role of Community-Based Men’s Sheds in Health Promotion for Older Men: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

“…This mixed-methods systematic review is registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42020219390) and a review protocol was published ( Albrecht et al, 2021 ). The recommendations of the “Manual for Evidence Synthesis” of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) were followed ( Aromataris & Munn, 2020 ).…”

Understanding shedders: Which socio‐demographic, health and wellbeing characteristics best inform appropriate health promotion action in men's sheds and a ‘Shed for Life’?

“…Indeed, findings on Shed outcomes generally highlighted in previous scoping and narrative reviews, are predominantly based on small-scale qualitative studies, with a distinct lack of information on the demographics of Shed participants, typically limited to age and gender. 3,13,22,23 Moreover, researchers have identified a lack of quantitative and mixed methods approaches, as well as limited use of validated measures to measure health outcomes, 23 which is a noted limitation in assessing the Shedhealth link. Understanding the characteristics of Shedders is important to tailor health promotion endeavours accordingly and to respond effectively to the needs of the target group.…”

“…Alongside the utility of SFL in providing a template for structured health promotion in Sheds, there is also a need to address a deficit in the men's health literature in terms of the demographic of men who participate in health promotion in Sheds. Indeed, findings on Shed outcomes generally highlighted in previous scoping and narrative reviews, are predominantly based on small‐scale qualitative studies, with a distinct lack of information on the demographics of Shed participants, typically limited to age and gender 3,13,22,23 . Moreover, researchers have identified a lack of quantitative and mixed methods approaches, as well as limited use of validated measures to measure health outcomes, 23 which is a noted limitation in assessing the Shed‐health link.…”