Paul Corcoran

Introduction European research consistently highlights that women from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds are at higher risk of negative clinical outcomes and patient experience. However, problems with ethnicity data collection, coding, and use limit the capacity of healthcare systems to assess and respond accordingly. Objective This scoping review aims to map the current coding practices and describe the evidence base on 1) how ethnicity is defined and recorded in maternity care and clinical research in Europe, and 2) how ethnicity is analysed in studies involving maternity populations evaluating disparities in clinical outcomes. Inclusion criteria The Joanna Briggs Institute’ (JBI) population, concept and context (PCC) framework will structure this scoping review. Research studies eligible for inclusion will focus on maternity populations in European healthcare settings. Studies published from 2015 onwards, and in any language will be eligible for inclusion, encompassing both quantitative and mixed methods designs, as well as relevant grey literature. Methods A systematic search will be conducted using the following electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus. The search strategy will be developed and pretested by the review team, following consultation with a research librarian to refine search syntax and terms. All identified records will be imported to a reference management tool and duplicates will be removed. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, and relevant literature will be selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted using a structured form and synthesised to map the current landscape of ethnicity coding practices within European maternity care and research. Findings will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews checklist (PRISMA-ScR).

Background Chronic pain constitutes a major global public health burden, associated with considerable variation in prevalence, disability, quality of life, and mental health outcomes. While cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely used in the management of chronic pain, its role in addressing mental and physical health symptoms and suicidality in this population remains unclear. This scoping review aims to systematically map the mental and physical health outcomes assessed in CBT interventions for chronic pain, and to highlight what CBT changes and to identify psychological factors that may explain variability in suicidality and self-harm risk across this population. Methods This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, and findings will be reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive search will be conducted using all relevant electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and PsycINFO. Studies will be eligible if they include individuals with chronic pain receiving CBT interventions. Data extraction will include study characteristics, participant demographics, and reported mental and physical health outcomes with specific attention to suicidality-related outcomes, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicide attempts. The review will also examine proposed psychological mechanisms underlying CBT intervention effects. Results This review will provide the first comprehensive mapping of evidence at the intersection of chronic pain, CBT interventions, and mental and physical health outcomes, with emphasis on suicidality. Findings will be presented using a descriptive summary and accompanied by a narrative synthesis of results. Conclusion T his review will provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature, identify mechanisms and psychological processes linked to suicide risk, to inform future research directions, including the development of targeted interventions for individuals with chronic pain.

Background: Individuals diagnosed with cancer are at increased risk of suicide compared to the general population. Access to means is a key volitional risk factor for suicide and represents a modifiable target for prevention at a population level. Understanding the methods of suicide in this group is crucial to inform targeted prevention strategies. Aims: This scoping review aimed to examine the methods of suicide used by individuals with cancer, identify the types of study designs used to investigate this topic, and evaluate the feasibility of a future systematic review. Methods: This scoping review followed JBI methodology and the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. A comprehensive search was conducted in five databases: Medline (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), and Web of Science (Clarivate) and gray literature. Studies were eligible if they quantitatively reported suicide methods in individuals with cancer. Studies of non‐fatal self‐harm, case reports, or those lacking method‐specific data were excluded. Results: Twenty‐seven studies from multiple countries were included. Method choice was influenced by geographical location, age, and sex. There was considerable heterogeneity in study design, cancer definitions, control groups used, and the characteristics of comparison samples reported. Conclusions: Due to substantial methodological variation, a systematic review is not currently feasible. Future research should, at a minimum, control for age and sex, include underrepresented populations, and adopt region‐specific approaches.

Antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO ₄ ) and antenatal steroids (ANS) are evidence‐based interventions that reduce risk of cerebral palsy and respiratory complications in preterm babies. They are recommended in clinical guidelines internationally. However, we have limited information on how well they are being implemented. The present study is a secondary data analysis and review using routine neonatal data on babies born 24–32 weeks' gestation, from hospitals in the international Vermont Oxford Network (VON) dataset. It is supplemented with UK National Neonatal Research Database data, and a literature review. We describe international use of antenatal MgSO ₄ and ANS, with focus on differences between high (HIC) versus middle‐income (MIC) countries. VON data from 2024 on 45 619 infants across 1111 centers from the UK, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, US, UAE, Brazil, South Africa, and India were included. Ireland and the UK had the highest rates of MgSO ₄ administration (>80%); South Africa and the UAE had the lowest (33.6%, 44.5%). There was a significant difference by income status (mean 74.8% in HICs vs. 49.4% in MICs). This disparity does not appear to have reduced over time. ANS were used more, with less variation. The supplementary literature review (10 studies reporting on 288 631 infants) found comparable treatment rates to those reported in VON. Use of antenatal MgSO ₄ and ANS varies considerably across countries. Uptake is significantly lower in these MICs, but variation is high even between these HICs. Further work should prioritize understanding why differences exist, and what can be done to make these key antenatal interventions more globally equitable.

Background: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and persistence of key maternal morbidities – urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, sexual health problems, depression, and anxiety – after the births of a first and second baby. Its longitudinal design distinguishes it from previous research by examining a range of morbidities over two childbirths and stratifying results based on women’s prior health history. Methods and findings: A prospective cohort of 3,047 nulliparous women completed surveys in early pregnancy and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months postpartum after their first birth. Of these, 254 women who had a second baby and consented to follow-up completed additional surveys at 6-months and/or 12-months postpartum after their second baby’s birth. Prevalence of each morbidity was reported at each time point, 3, 6, 9, 12-months after the first birth; and 6 and/or 12-months after the second birth. Persistence was defined as reporting the morbidity at 6 and/or 12-months after the first birth and again at 6 and/or 12-months after the second birth. Among 91 women reporting urinary incontinence after their first baby’s birth, persistence was 100% (n = 5/5) for those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy and 39.5% (n = 34/86) for those without (RR 2.53, 95% CI (1.95–3.29)). For pelvic girdle pain (n = 86), persistence was 98.1% (n = 52/53) who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy and 97.0% (n = 32/33) for those without (RR 1.01, 95% CI (0.94–1.09)). Sexual health problems persisted in 100% (n = 76/76) of those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy versus 89.6% (n = 43/48) without (RR 1.12, 95% CI (1.02–1.23)). Depression persisted in 50% (n = 4/8) of those who experienced it in the 12 months prior to their first pregnancy versus 19.0% (n = 15/79) without (RR 2.63, 95% CI (1.15–6.03)); and anxiety persisted in 100% (n = 1/1) of those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy versus 13.5% (n = 12/89) without anxiety (RR 7.42, 95% CI (4.38–12.55)). Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for early identification and intervention to mitigate long-term health issues, highlighting the importance of targeted pregnancy and postpartum care for women with prior maternal morbidities.

Introduction European research consistently highlights that women from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds are at higher risk of negative clinical outcomes and patient experience. However, problems with ethnicity data collection, coding, and use limit the capacity of healthcare systems to assess and respond accordingly. Objective This scoping review aims to map the current coding practices and describe the evidence base on 1) how ethnicity is defined and recorded in maternity care and clinical research in Europe, and 2) how ethnicity is analysed in studies involving maternity populations evaluating disparities in clinical outcomes. Inclusion criteria The Joanna Briggs Institute’ (JBI) population, concept and context (PCC) framework will structure this scoping review. Research studies eligible for inclusion will focus on maternity populations in European healthcare settings. Studies published from 2015 onwards, and in any language will be eligible for inclusion, encompassing a range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs, as well as relevant grey literature. Methods A systematic search will be conducted using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE (OVID), CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus. The search strategy will be developed and pretested by the review team, following consultation with a research librarian to refine search syntax and terms. All identified records will be imported to a reference management tool and duplicates will be removed. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, and relevant literature will be selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted using a structured form and synthesised to describe the size, focus and quality of the evidence base and identify the common practices. Findings will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews checklist (PRISMA-ScR).