Mapping the implementation of adult psychiatric home hospitalization services: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

Objective: This review will map and summarize international evidence on the determinants of implementation of adult psychiatric home hospitalization (PHH) services. Introduction: Adult PHH is increasingly recognized as a viable alternative to acute inpatient care for adults experiencing mental health crises. Yet, despite growing implementation, guidance on how PHH services are organized, integrated, and adapted remains scattered and heterogeneous. Additionally, international variation remains high, and key determinants affecting their adoption, integration, and sustainability are still insufficiently explored. Eligibility criteria: This review will include international sources published from 2000 onward that describe the implementation of PHH services for adults (≥ 18 years) in acute mental health crisis. It will explore any mental health care setting—community-based, hospital-linked, or home-based—where PHH is employed as an alternative to traditional inpatient admission. Methods: The scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A comprehensive 3-step search strategy will be applied across academic databases (eg, PubMed, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Scopus, and CINAHL Complete), guideline repositories (eg, World Health Organization, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), and gray literature sources (eg, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and institutional or organizational websites). Eligible sources will include formal guidance documents, empirical studies (eg, qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods), and gray literature related to the determinants of implementation of PHH services. To support a structured examination of implementation determinants, this review will apply the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and the Implementation Outcomes Framework as guiding frameworks for data charting, analysis, and presentation.