Protocol for a scoping review of skin self-care of people with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Introduction

In recent years, increasing methodological references have been used in scientific research; these are points of support in the search for evidence, formulation and elaboration of instruments, scales, guideline and protocols. However, significant variability currently exists in scoping review conduct and reporting, thus limiting the potential of the methodology to advance research and practice about skin self-care of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Our objective was to perform a scoping review protocol within the health rehabilitation context of people with SCI, focusing on skin self-care.

Methods and analysis

The protocol was developed by using the scoping review methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and further refined by the Joanna Briggs Institute, incorporating insights from more recent innovations in scoping review methodology. Sensitive searches of 13 electronic databases from 2007 to 2017 will be supplemented by grey literature searches. Two reviewers using a tool developed for this scoping review will screen eligible studies.

Ethics and dissemination

The scoping review will undertake a secondary analysis of previously collected data and does not require ethical approval; however, the ethical precepts of copyright will be respected. The results will facilitate a better understanding of the practical health rehabilitation context of people with SCI, the impacts of these rehabilitations and how to build an evidence base for this work in the future.