Decolonizing global health: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Although there has been attention paid to decolonizing global health, there is no accepted understanding of the concept. Therefore, this protocol outlines the steps for a planned scoping review to assess the academic literature for discussions on decolonizing global health. Namely, to consider what this concept means within mainstream global health databases and how it can be acted on. We also hope to shed light on who is participating in these discussions. The PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was used to develop this scoping review protocol. With the guidance of an academic librarian, we searched OVID Medline, OVID Embase, EBSCO CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, PAIS Index, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, and the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences databases from inception to the date the search is conducted. The inclusion criterion is that texts must: (i) use the exact phrasing of “decoloni* global health” or “anticolonial global health,” (ii) include substantive discussion of what decolonizi* global health or anticolonial global health means (i.e., we will exclude single mentions that do not include an explanation, elaboration, or context), and (iii) be published in English. Similarly, the exclusion criteria include: (i) texts that do not substantively discuss decolonizing global health and (ii) grey literature hits. This protocol establishes the study parameters for the planned scoping review. We anticipate the findings from the scoping review to bring much needed clarity to discussions around decolonizing global health, in terms of meaning(s), gaps, and possible actions.