Meaning in life of older persons with end-stage kidney disease: a scoping review protocol

The objective of this review is to identify and synthesize evidence on the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept of meaning in life among older end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, and to develop a conceptual definition that can inform future instrument and theory development.

Meaning in life has garnered significant research attention due to its crucial role in regulating the psychological well-being of older ESKD patients. However, no appropriate instrument currently exists to measure meaning in life specifically for this population. The development of such an instrument requires clarifying the concept of meaning in life for older ESKD patients.

This review will include studies that explore meaning in life, including its definitions, attributes, antecedents, consequences, or methods of measurement (Concept), in older persons with ESKD (Population). Studies from any care setting (Context) will be considered. All qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods studies, and systematic reviews will be eligible.

A scoping review will be conducted following JBI methodology, utilizing Walker and Avant's concept analysis framework to map the evidence. Searches will be conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL Ultimate, CNKI, and relevant gray literature sources in English, Thai, and Chinese, with no time restrictions. Two reviewers will independently assess and extract data using a predefined extraction tool to capture study characteristics and concept-related elements, with a third reviewer resolving any disagreements. Findings will be synthesized narratively and presented in tables and figures, supplemented by word-frequency analysis.

OSF https://osf.io/dt73s/overview.