Methodologies for studying depression in persons living with tuberculosis: Protocol for a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Research
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) and depression frequently co-occur, presenting diagnostic and treatment challenges.
• Existing research often focuses on prevalence, neglecting methodologies for TB-depression comorbidity.
• Robust research approaches are critical for improving detection and treatment in persons with TB (PWTB).

Purpose of the Study:

• To map existing methodologies for studying depression in individuals with TB.
• To identify research gaps in study design, diagnosis, and treatment of TB-depression comorbidity.
• To guide future research and improve clinical/public health strategies for PWTB.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review protocol was defined, searching multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, etc.).
• Studies examining the TB-depression relationship were included, using Covidence for screening and data extraction.
• The Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework guided the evaluation of methodologies.

Main Results:

• Data extraction focused on study design, diagnostic tools, treatment interventions, and analytical approaches.
• RE-AIM framework components (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) were used to evaluate methodologies.
• Descriptive characteristics of included studies will be presented using figures and tables.

Conclusions:

• This review will provide insights into current research methodologies for TB-depression.
• Identifying research gaps will inform future study designs and enhance diagnostic/treatment strategies.
• The findings aim to advance clinical and public health efforts for PWTB with depression.