A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews

doi:10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4

. 2016 Feb 9:16:15.

doi: 10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4.

A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews

Andrea C Tricco^{1

2}, Erin Lillie³, Wasifa Zarin⁴, Kelly O'Brien^{5

6}, Heather Colquhoun⁷, Monika Kastner^{8

9}, Danielle Levac¹⁰, Carmen Ng¹¹, Jane Pearson Sharpe¹², Katherine Wilson¹³, Meghan Kenny¹⁴, Rachel Warren¹⁵, Charlotte Wilson¹⁶, Henry T Stelfox¹⁷, Sharon E Straus^{18

19}

Affiliations

¹ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. TriccoA@smh.ca.
² Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M7, Canada. TriccoA@smh.ca.
³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. LillieE@smh.ca.
⁴ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. ZarinW@smh.ca.
⁵ Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, Room 160, Toronto, ON, M5G 1 V7, Canada. Kelly.OBrien@utoronto.ca.
⁶ Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 4th Floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M6, Canada. Kelly.OBrien@utoronto.ca.
⁷ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1 V7, Canada. Heather.Colquhoun@utoronto.ca.
⁸ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. Monika.Kastner@utoronto.ca.
⁹ Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M7, Canada. Monika.Kastner@utoronto.ca.
¹⁰ School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Ottawa, 200 Lees Avenue, Room A120, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6 N5, Canada. d.levac@neu.edu.
¹¹ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. carmen_hm_ng@yahoo.ca.
¹² Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. PearsonSharJ@smh.ca.
¹³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. katherine_wilson@rogers.com.
¹⁴ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. mkenny@mcmaster.ca.
¹⁵ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. rwarren@mcmaster.ca.
¹⁶ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. charlotte.wilson@rogers.com.
¹⁷ Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 2 T9, Canada. tstelfox@ucalgary.ca.
¹⁸ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. sharon.straus@utoronto.ca.
¹⁹ Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada. sharon.straus@utoronto.ca.

PMID: 26857112
PMCID: PMC4746911
DOI: 10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4

A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews

Andrea C Tricco et al. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2016.

. 2016 Feb 9:16:15.

doi: 10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. TriccoA@smh.ca.
² Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M7, Canada. TriccoA@smh.ca.
³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. LillieE@smh.ca.
⁴ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. ZarinW@smh.ca.
⁵ Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, Room 160, Toronto, ON, M5G 1 V7, Canada. Kelly.OBrien@utoronto.ca.
⁶ Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 4th Floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M6, Canada. Kelly.OBrien@utoronto.ca.
⁷ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1 V7, Canada. Heather.Colquhoun@utoronto.ca.
⁸ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. Monika.Kastner@utoronto.ca.
⁹ Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6th floor, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3 M7, Canada. Monika.Kastner@utoronto.ca.
¹⁰ School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Ottawa, 200 Lees Avenue, Room A120, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6 N5, Canada. d.levac@neu.edu.
¹¹ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. carmen_hm_ng@yahoo.ca.
¹² Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. PearsonSharJ@smh.ca.
¹³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. katherine_wilson@rogers.com.
¹⁴ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. mkenny@mcmaster.ca.
¹⁵ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. rwarren@mcmaster.ca.
¹⁶ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. charlotte.wilson@rogers.com.
¹⁷ Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 2 T9, Canada. tstelfox@ucalgary.ca.
¹⁸ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1 W8, Canada. sharon.straus@utoronto.ca.
¹⁹ Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 Kings College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada. sharon.straus@utoronto.ca.

PMID: 26857112
PMCID: PMC4746911
DOI: 10.1186/s12874-016-0116-4

Abstract

Background: Scoping reviews are used to identify knowledge gaps, set research agendas, and identify implications for decision-making. The conduct and reporting of scoping reviews is inconsistent in the literature. We conducted a scoping review to identify: papers that utilized and/or described scoping review methods; guidelines for reporting scoping reviews; and studies that assessed the quality of reporting of scoping reviews.

Methods: We searched nine electronic databases for published and unpublished literature scoping review papers, scoping review methodology, and reporting guidance for scoping reviews. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion. Data abstraction was performed by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. Quantitative (e.g. frequencies of methods) and qualitative (i.e. content analysis of the methods) syntheses were conducted.

Results: After searching 1525 citations and 874 full-text papers, 516 articles were included, of which 494 were scoping reviews. The 494 scoping reviews were disseminated between 1999 and 2014, with 45% published after 2012. Most of the scoping reviews were conducted in North America (53%) or Europe (38%), and reported a public source of funding (64%). The number of studies included in the scoping reviews ranged from 1 to 2600 (mean of 118). Using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology guidance for scoping reviews, only 13% of the scoping reviews reported the use of a protocol, 36% used two reviewers for selecting citations for inclusion, 29% used two reviewers for full-text screening, 30% used two reviewers for data charting, and 43% used a pre-defined charting form. In most cases, the results of the scoping review were used to identify evidence gaps (85%), provide recommendations for future research (84%), or identify strengths and limitations (69%). We did not identify any guidelines for reporting scoping reviews or studies that assessed the quality of scoping review reporting.

Conclusion: The number of scoping reviews conducted per year has steadily increased since 2012. Scoping reviews are used to inform research agendas and identify implications for policy or practice. As such, improvements in reporting and conduct are imperative. Further research on scoping review methodology is warranted, and in particular, there is need for a guideline to standardize reporting.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
Study flow. Details the flow of information through the different phases of the review; maps out the number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for their exclusion

**Fig. 2**
Word cloud of synthesis name. The most commonly used terminology in the 494 scoping reviews is displayed, with the size of the terms in the word cloud corresponding to the frequency of their use

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

1. Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: Towards a Methodological Framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19–32. doi: 10.1080/1364557032000119616. - DOI
1. Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5:69. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-5-69. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Peters MD, Godfrey CM, Khalil H, McInerney P, Parker D, Soares CB. Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(3):141–146. doi: 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000050. - DOI - PubMed
1. Colquhoun HL, Levac D, O’Brien KK, Straus S, Tricco AC, Perrier L, et al. Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting. J Clin Epidemiol. 2014;67(12):1291–1294. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.03.013. - DOI - PubMed
1. Colquhoun H, O’Brien K, Straus S, Moher D, Levac D. Gaps in scoping review methodologies J Clin Epidemiol. In press. - PubMed

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[1] Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: Towards a Methodological Framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19–32. doi: 10.1080/1364557032000119616. - DOI

[2] Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: Towards a Methodological Framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19–32. doi: 10.1080/1364557032000119616. - DOI

[3] Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5:69. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-5-69. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5:69. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-5-69. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Peters MD, Godfrey CM, Khalil H, McInerney P, Parker D, Soares CB. Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(3):141–146. doi: 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000050. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Peters MD, Godfrey CM, Khalil H, McInerney P, Parker D, Soares CB. Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(3):141–146. doi: 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000050. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Colquhoun HL, Levac D, O’Brien KK, Straus S, Tricco AC, Perrier L, et al. Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting. J Clin Epidemiol. 2014;67(12):1291–1294. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.03.013. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Colquhoun HL, Levac D, O’Brien KK, Straus S, Tricco AC, Perrier L, et al. Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting. J Clin Epidemiol. 2014;67(12):1291–1294. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.03.013. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Colquhoun H, O’Brien K, Straus S, Moher D, Levac D. Gaps in scoping review methodologies J Clin Epidemiol. In press. - PubMed

[10] Colquhoun H, O’Brien K, Straus S, Moher D, Levac D. Gaps in scoping review methodologies J Clin Epidemiol. In press. - PubMed

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A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews

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A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews

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