Environmental Footprints in Food Services: A Scoping Review
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Guimaraes N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC11243183 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Environmental footprints are indicators that can be used to estimate the impacts of diet on the environment. Since contemporary dietary practices are related to negative environmental impacts, this paper aims to describe a systematic review protocol to investigate the environmental footprints of food consumption by adults and elderly individuals worldwide. This protocol was developed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Search strategies and records of evidence searched in previously defined electronic databases will be defined. Original, population-based articles investigating the environmental footprints of food consumption by adults and the elderly will be included. Two independent reviewers will conduct the study selection and data extraction steps. Critical appraisal of the included studies will be based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. For data synthesis, a narrative synthesis and, if possible, also a meta-analysis will be performed. The systematic review produced from this protocol will provide evidence for data synthesis of the environmental impact through environmental footprints of food consumption of the adult and elderly population from different territories and the footprint assessment tools used around the world. Therefore, it is a gap that needs to be filled because knowing these impacts will be important to inform the development of public policies that encourage healthy and sustainable food in the face of climate and epidemiological changes. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021281488.
| S-EPMC9639814 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo examine the extent and nature of evidence on the use of the environmental scan (ES) in the health services delivery literature.DesignScoping review.MethodsThis scoping review followed the five-stage scoping review methodology outlined by Khalil et al. A Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies was completed. Seven electronic databases and the grey literature were searched. Pairs of researchers independently performed two levels of screening and data extraction. Data were analysed using qualitative content and thematic analysis.ResultsNinety-six studies were included in the scoping review. Researchers conducted ESs for many purposes, the most common being to examine the current state of programmes, services or policies. Recommendations were informed by ESs in 20% of studies. Most common data collection methods were literature review (71%), key informant or semistructured interviews (46%) and surveys (35%). Over half (53%) of the studies used a combination of passive (looking at information eg, literature, policies, guidelines) and active (looking for information eg, surveys, interviews) approaches to data collection. Person sources of data (eg, healthcare stakeholders, community representatives) and non-person sources of data (eg, documents, electronic databases, the web) were drawn on to a similar extent. The thematic analysis of the definitions/descriptions yielded several themes including instrument of discovery, knowledge synthesis, forward-looking and decision making. Research gaps identified included absence of a standard definition, inconsistencies in terminology and lack of guiding frameworks in the health services delivery context.ConclusionESs were conducted to gather evidence and to help inform decision making on a range of policy and health services delivery issues across the continuum of care. Consistency in terminology, a consensus definition and more guidance on ES design may help provide structure for researchers and other stakeholders, and ultimately advance ES as a methodological approach. A working definition of ES in a health services delivery context is presented.
| S-EPMC8587593 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Food insecurity in recent years has increased worldwide due to many planetary events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, the climate crisis, and globalization of markets. Adolescents are a particularly vulnerable group to food insecurity, as they enter adulthood with less parental supervision and greater personal autonomy, but less legislative or institutional protection. The experience of food insecurity in adolescents is influenced by several environmental factors at different levels (interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal), although they are not usually addressed in the design of interventions, prioritizing the individual behavioural factors. We present a scoping review protocol for assessing and identifying the environmental factors that could influence adolescents' food insecurity. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and the PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to prepare the protocol. The search strategy will be performed in the following databases: Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, Biblioteca Virtual de Salud, EBSCOHost, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Plus. The reference list of the included studies will also be hand-searched. Grey literature will be search through the electronic database Grey Literature Report, and local, provincial, national, and international organisations' websites. Assessment of eligibility after screening of titles, abstract and full text, and the resolution of discrepancies will be performed by three independent reviewers. This scoping review will contribute to refine the "logic model of the problem" which constitutes the first step in the intervention mapping protocol. The "logic model of the problem" from the intervention mapping protocol will serve to classify and analyse the environmental factors. The findings from this review will be presented to relevant stakeholders that have a role in shaping the environmental factors.
| S-EPMC10662750 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, demand for deep cleaning and environmental services workers grew exponentially. Although there is extant literature examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers, less emphasis has been placed on environmental services workers, who play an equally important front-line role.AimTo examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on environmental services workers employed in healthcare settings.MethodsScoping review methodology. A search strategy was developed, in consultation with a medical information specialist, employing various combinations of the keywords [(environmental services worker OR health attendant OR housekeeping) AND (COVID OR coronavirus OR pandemic OR epidemic)]. Four bibliographical databases were searched from inception to 5th July 2022: OVID Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Cochrane Database.ResultsIn total, 24 studies were included in this review. The studies were generally cross-sectional in design. Seroprevalence studies highlighted significantly higher rates of COVID-19 among environmental services workers (housekeeping, cleaning and janitorial staff) compared with other clinical and non-clinical staff in the same institutions. In addition, based on qualitative interviews, environmental services workers experienced greater psychological stress working during the pandemic.ConclusionsEnvironmental services workers were particularly vulnerable to increased work stress and COVID-19 during the pandemic. Health systems need to do more to support these workers. Further research could investigate specific policy and procedural changes to benefit this under-recognized group in the greater healthcare workforce.
| S-EPMC9474977 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION:The environmental scan has been described as an important tool to inform decision-making on policy, planning and programme development in the healthcare sector. Despite the wide adoption of environmental scans, there is no consensus on a working definition within the health services delivery context and methodological guidance on the design and implementation of this approach is lacking in the literature. The objectives of this study are to map the extent, range and nature of evidence that describe the definitions, characteristics, conceptualisations, theoretical underpinnings, study limitations and other features of the environmental scan in the health services delivery literature and to propose a working definition specific to this context. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:This protocol describes a scoping review based on the methodology outlined by Khalil and colleagues. A comprehensive search strategy was developed by experienced health science librarians in consultation with the research team. A Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) was completed. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full-text articles and select studies meeting the inclusion criteria from seven electronic databases: Academic Search Premier, Canadian Business & Current Affairs (CBCA), CINAHL, ERIC, Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. The grey literature and reference lists of included articles will also be searched. The data will be analysed and presented in tabular format, and will include a descriptive numerical summary as well as a qualitative thematic analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:This protocol provides an audit trail for a scoping review that will advance understanding about the environmental scan and its application in the health services delivery context. The review will propose a working definition and will inform future research to explore the development of a conceptual framework in this context. Findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations. The scoping review does not require ethics approval.
| S-EPMC6731933 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The increase in availability of online on-demand food and alcohol delivery services has changed the way unhealthy commodities are accessed and understood. We conducted a systematic scoping review of academic and grey literature to map the current knowledge of public health and regulatory/policy outcomes arising from on-demand food and alcohol delivery (defined as delivery within 2 h). We systematically searched three electronic databases and completed supplementary forward citation searches and Google Scholar searches. In total, we screened 761 records (de-duplicated) and synthesised findings from 40 studies by commodity types (on-demand food or alcohol) and outcome focus (outlet, consumer, environmental, labour). Outlet-focused outcomes were most common (n = 16 studies), followed by consumer (n = 11), environmental (n = 7), and labour-focused (n = 6) outcomes. Despite geographical and methodological diversity of studies, results indicate that on-demand delivery services market unhealthy and discretionary foods, with disadvantaged communities having reduced access to healthy commodities. Services that deliver alcohol on-demand can also subvert current alcohol access restrictions, particularly through poor age verification processes. Underpinning these public health impacts is the multi-layered nature of on-demand services and context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which creates ongoing complications as to how populations access food and alcohol. Changing access to unhealthy commodities is an emerging issue in public health. Our scoping review considers priority areas for future research to better inform policy decisions. Current regulation of food and alcohol may not appropriately cover emerging on-demand technologies, necessitating a review of policy.
| S-EPMC9950721 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFollowing the release of the Sustainable Development Goals, dietary patterns and guidelines are being revised for their effect on the environment in addition to their health implications. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the Environmental Footprints (EFPs) of food consumption patterns among Lebanese adults.MethodsFor this study, data for adults aged > 18 years (n = 337) were drawn from a previous national survey conducted in Lebanon (2008-2009), where dietary intake was assessed using a 61-item Food Frequency Questionnaire. Dietary patterns previously derived in the study sample included: Western, Lebanese-Mediterranean and High-Protein. In this study, food consumption and dietary patterns were examined for their EFPs including water use, energy use, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, using review of life cycle analyses.ResultsIn the study population, the EFPs of food consumption were: water use: 2571.62 ± 1259.45 L/day; energy use: 37.34 ± 19.98 MJ/day and GHGs: 4.06 ± 1.93 kg CO2 eq / day. Among the three dietary patterns prevalent in the study population, the Lebanese-Mediterranean diet had the lowest water use and GHG per 1000 Kcal (Water (L/Kg): 443.61 ± 197.15, 243.35 ± 112.0, 264.72 ± 161.67; GHG (KG CO2 eq/day) 0.58 ± 0.32, 0.38 ± 0.24, 0.57 ± 0.37, for the Western, Lebanese-Mediterranean and High- Protein, respectively). The scores of the High-Protein dietary pattern were associated with higher odds of the three EFPs, whereas the Lebanese-Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with lower odds of energy use. Furthermore, scores of the Western pattern were associated with higher water use.ConclusionsThe findings of this study showed that, among Lebanese adults, the Western and High-Protein dietary patterns had high EFPs, whereas the Lebanese-Mediterranean dietary pattern had lower water use and GHG emissions. Coupled to our earlier findings of the Lebanese-Mediterranean pattern's beneficial effects on health, the findings of this study lend evidence for the notion that what is healthy for people may also be healthy for ecosystems and highlight the need for nutrition recommendations to take into consideration the nexus of water, food, energy, in addition to health.
| S-EPMC6136176 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The analysis of dietary environmental impacts has proven to be an important tool for guiding the adoption of healthier and more sustainable diets. This study aimed to estimate the dietary carbon (CF), water (WF), and ecological (EF) footprints of residents in the city of Natal, Brazil; the study also aimed to verify their association with socioeconomic factors and food purchase practices. This is a cross-sectional study that used dietary data from 411 adults and elderlies, which was collected via a questionnaire that applied to the respondents. The results showed that the dietary CF was 1901.88 g CO2 eq/day/1000 kcal, the WF was 1834.03 L/day/1000 kcal, and the EF was 14.29 m2/day/1000 kcal. The highest environmental footprint values showed an association (p ≤ 0.05) with the factors of male sex, white ethnicity, and higher income and schooling, whereas the lowest environmental footprint values were associated with social vulnerability variables such as female sex, non-white ethnicity, and lower income and schooling (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, people with lower environmental footprints consumed less fast food, had fewer meals at snack bars, and used food delivery services less often than those with higher footprints. The foods that most contributed to the CFs and WFs were beef and chicken, while fish and beef contribute the most to the EFs. The data in the present study show that a diet with a lower environmental impact is not always equal to a sustainable diet. This relationship is paradoxical and relates to food justice, as people with lower environmental footprint values are the same ones with worse socioeconomic conditions. In this sense, is it essential to consider the influence of the social context when assessing dietary environmental impacts and when assessing actions that promote healthier and more sustainable diets.
| S-EPMC9739984 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectivesTransportation is an important component of dementia-friendly communities. People living with dementia have the right to access transportation services to keep their mobility in their community, which is essential for independence, well-being, and quality of life. This scoping review maps the literature on dementia-friendly transportation services and explores their characteristics to inform future development and research.Research design and methodsEmpirical quantitative and qualitative studies in English or French that informed on transportation services for people living with dementia in the community were searched in 15 databases. Two authors independently screened records and charted relevant characteristics from selected publications. Important findings were summarized with a narrative synthesis approach.ResultsThirty-five studies informed on important dimensions of transportation services in urban and/or rural context: availability, accessibility, acceptability, adaptability, and affordability. Important insights were identified: the importance of staff training and attitude, and the challenges of availability of affordable services in the rural context. Emerging policy and program intervention areas include the need for access to quiet areas in transit hubs, training to use mass public transit and mobility management.Discussion and implicationsThe literature on dementia-friendly transportation services is important in the expansion and maintenance of mobility for people living with dementia in the community. The scope of the existing scientific literature remains limited. Although several studies indicated a clear need for better access to dementia-friendly transportation services, the best practices still need to be demonstrated in the scientific literature.
| S-EPMC11200191 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAeromedical emergency retrieval services play an important role in supporting patients with critical and often life-threatening clinical conditions. Aeromedical retrieval services help to provide fast access to definitive care for critically ill patients in under-served regions. Typically, fixed-wing aeromedical retrieval becomes the most viable transport option compared with rotary-wing aircraft when distances away from centres of definitive care extend beyond 200 kms. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have investigated fixed-wing aeromedical services in the member countries of the organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD). A description of the global characteristics of aeromedical services will inform international collaboration to optimise clinical outcomes for patients.AimIn this scoping review, we aimed to describe the features of government- and not-for-profit organisation-owned fixed-wing aeromedical retrieval services in some of the member countries of the OECD.MethodsWe followed scoping review methodology based on the grey literature search strategy identified in earlier studies. This mostly involved internet-based searches of the websites of fixed-wing aeromedical emergency retrieval services affiliated with the OECD member countries.ResultsWe identified 460 potentially relevant records after searching Google Scholar (n = 24) and Google search engines (n = 436). After removing ineligible and duplicate information, this scoping review identified 86 government-and not-for-profit-operated fixed-wing aeromedical retrieval services as existing in 17 OECD countries. Concentrations of the services were greatest in the USA followed by Australia, Canada, and the UK. The most prevalent business models used across the identified OECD member countries comprised the government, not-for-profit, and hybrid models. Three-quarters of the not-for-profit and two-fifths of the hybrid business models were in the USA compared to other countries studied. The government or state-funded business model was most common in Australia (11/24, 46%), Canada (4/24, 17%), and the UK (4/24, 17%). The frequently used service delivery models adopted for patients of all ages included primary/secondary retrievals, secondary retrievals only, and service specialisation models. Of these service models, primary/secondary retrieval involving the transportation of adults and children from community clinics and primary health care facilities to centres of definitive care comprised the core tasks performed by most of the aeromedical retrieval services studied. The service specialisation model provided an extra layer of specialist health care dedicated to the transportation of neonates and paediatrics. At least eight aeromedical retrieval services catered solely for children from birth to 16 years of age. One aeromedical service, the royal flying doctor service in Australia also provided primary health care and telehealth services in addition to primary retrieval and interhospital transfer of patients. The doctor and registered nurse/paramedic (Franco-German model) and the nurse and/or paramedic (Anglo-American model) configurations were the most common staffing models used across the aeromedical services studied.ConclusionsThe development and composition of fixed-wing aeromedical emergency retrieval services operated by not-for-profit organisations and governments in the OECD countries showed diversity in terms of governance arrangements, services provided, and staffing models used. We do not fully understand the impact of these differences on the quality of service provision, including equitable service access, highlighting a need for further research.
| S-EPMC9743498 | biostudies-literature