Identifying and Understanding the Non-clinical Impacts of Delayed or Cancelled Surgery in Order to Inform Prioritisation Processes: A Scoping Review

Jack, Kathryn; Evans, Catrin; Bramley, Louise; Cooper, Joanne; Keane, Tracy; Cope, Marie; Hendron, Elizabeth

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant delays to non-urgent elective surgery. Decision making regarding prioritisation for surgery is currently informed primarily by clinical urgency. The ways in which decision making should also consider potential social and economic harm arising from surgical delay are currently unclear. This scoping review aimed to identify evidence related to (i) the nature and prevalence of social and economic harm experienced by patients associated with delayed surgery, and (ii) any patient assessment tools that could measure the extent of, or predict, such social and economic harm. A rapid scoping review was undertaken following JBI methodological guidance. The following databases were searched in October 2020: AMED; BNI; CINAHL; EMBASE; EMCARE; HMIC; Medline; PsychINFO, Cochrane, and the JBI. A total of 21 publications were included. The findings were categorised into five themes: (i) employment, (ii) social function and leisure, (iii) finances, (iv) patients’ experiences of waiting, and (v) assessment tools that could inform decision making. The findings suggest that, for some patients, waiting for surgery can include significant social, economic, and emotional hardship. Few validated assessment tools exist. There is an urgent need for more research on patients’ experiences of surgical delay in order to inform a more holistic process of prioritising people on surgical waiting lists in the COVID- 19 pandemic recovery stages.

Citation

Jack, K., Evans, C., Bramley, L., Cooper, J., Keane, T., Cope, M., & Hendron, E. (2022). Identifying and Understanding the Non-clinical Impacts of Delayed or Cancelled Surgery in Order to Inform Prioritisation Processes: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), Article 5542. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095542

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 26, 2022
• Online Publication Date: May 3, 2022
• Publication Date: May 1, 2022
• Deposit Date: Apr 27, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 1, 2022
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1661-7827
• Electronic ISSN: 1660-4601
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 9
• Article Number: 5542
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095542
• Keywords: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7835588
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5542