Quality criteria of nature-based interventions in healthcare institutions: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

For reasons of human health and sustainability, there is a growing interest in the potential of integrated nature-based interventions in healthcare. However, it is not clear which quality criteria underlie these interventions. Here, we develop a study protocol for a scoping review to explore potential quality criteria relating to the design, implementation and evaluation of nature-based interventions in healthcare institutions. The literature search will be conducted in Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science and Scopus, focusing on studies published in English between January 2005 and April 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews with extension for scoping reviews will be used. Search terms were developed stepwise and in consultation with the interdisciplinary research team and the project steering group. Two researchers will perform the screening of the papers independently. Using descriptive content analysis, identified quality criteria will be classified according to the applied theoretical frameworks, outcomes, levels (institutional, professional and patient) and the domains of biodiversity, human health or intervention processes. Ultimately, this descriptive work will result in a set of quality indicators and a prototype nature-based intervention quality assessment framework, which will be presented to the project steering group and multi-stakeholders assembly for further refinement.

Quality criteria of nature-based interventions in healthcare facilities: a scoping review

“…The focus was on recent peer reviewed studies regarding NBI in the surrounding natural environment of healthcare facilities. Although a published protocol is available ( 35 ), a summary of the methodology is provided in what follows.…”

“…Next, an experienced librarian from the University of Antwerp, Belgium assisted in the development, testing and refining several sets of search terms. As a result, two sets of search terms were constructed, one for nature-based interventions and another one for biodiversity, which were combined in the search [for detailed search term listings see the protocol ( 35 )].…”

“…The research question in this study was 'What is known in the literature about the quality criteria of integrated nature-based interventions in healthcare facilities?' available (35), a summary of the methodology is provided in what follows.…”