Causes of mortality in humanitarian crises requiring coordinated response: a scoping review protocol

Mortality patterns in humanitarian crises are shaped by intersecting factors including violence, displacement, health system disruption and environmental shocks. While crude and under-five mortality rates are often tracked, less is known about specific causes of death across diverse crisis contexts. Existing guidance informing humanitarian response is largely informed by outdated evidence and does not account for demographic, epidemiological and geopolitical shifts over the past two decades. This review aims to synthesise available data on cause-specific mortality in humanitarian settings to inform improved monitoring, policy and response.

We will conduct a scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature reporting on causes of death in humanitarian crises between 2015 and 2025. Eligible studies will include crisis-affected populations in locations with an active Humanitarian Response Plan during analysis. We will search Medline, Embase and Global Health, and screen organisational datasets from key humanitarian agencies. A large language model will be used to assist with title and abstract screening. Full-text screening and data extraction will be conducted manually by two reviewers. Methodological quality will be assessed using study-type-specific appraisal tools. Data will be extracted using a standardised plan and synthesised narratively.

Ethics approval is not required as this study uses publicly available data. Findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated via policy briefs, academic presentations and targeted stakeholder engagement.