Identifying patients with psychosocial problems in general practice: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Psychosocial problems (PSPs) are prevalent and linked to adverse health outcomes.
• General practitioners (GPs) are crucial for early detection and intervention of PSPs.
• Identifying effective tools for GPs to recognize PSPs is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review mapping the published evidence on instruments used by GPs to identify patients with PSPs.
• To understand the current landscape of PSP identification tools in general practice settings.

Main Methods:

• Adherence to PRISMA-ScR checklist and JBI Reviewer's Manual for scoping reviews.
• Systematic literature search across four major databases: Medline, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Library.
• Inclusion of quantitative and qualitative studies published in English, Spanish, French, and German.

Main Results:

• Extraction and visualization of main study characteristics and identification instrument data.
• Mapping of available evidence on instruments for identifying PSPs in general practice.
• Structured tables will present the synthesized findings.

Conclusions:

• The review will provide a comprehensive overview of instruments for identifying PSPs in primary care.
• Findings will inform GPs and healthcare policymakers on available tools for early intervention.
• This evidence mapping is vital for improving patient outcomes by addressing psychosocial issues proactively.