ArticleBMC health services research2024
Theories used to develop or evaluate social prescribing in studies: a scoping review.
Article in BMC health services research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Social Prescribing: Comparing a Comprehensive Navigation Model With Signposting.Annals of family medicine · 2026Trial
- Social prescribing by community nurses in southeastern Australia: a qualitative study.Journal of research in nursing : JRN · 2026Article
- Social prescribing for refugee populations: a protocol for a rapid realist review of international evidence.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Digital social prescribing: a concept analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Models, implementation, and reported outcomes of social prescribing interventions: a scoping review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Developing a program theory for implementing a Danish social prescribing model: an ethnographic study.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- Reasons for referral to a social prescribing program through the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors: a cross-sectional study in Portugal.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Building self-determination through the lens of the Circle of Courage: a qualitative evaluation of a social prescribing program for children and youth in Canada.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- A social prescribing model for tackling the health and social inequalities of people living with severe mental illness: a protocol paper.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Creating and sustaining enabling systems and communities to address social needs: protocol for a living lab social prescribing study.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Consensus-based framework for assessing social prescribing schemes in primary healthcare.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- The Impact of Choir Singing on International Students' Sense of Belonging, Loneliness, and Wellbeing: A Controlled Evaluation of UQ Voices.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- A socially prescribed creative play intervention for new parents: investigating post traumatic stress around birth and changes in postnatal depression and reflective function.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Third sector perspectives on community link worker referrals in social prescribing: a realist analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- SEM-ANN analysis of the social prescription of nature, physical activity, and healthy living initiatives for cardiovascular health: mediating role of social support.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Social prescribing needs and priorities of older adults in Canada: a qualitative analysis.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2024Article
- Theories used to develop or evaluate social prescribing in studies: a scoping review.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- Stakeholder views on addressing challenges to the implementation of social prescribing in the United Kingdom.Frontiers in health services · 2024Article
- Tackling Health Inequity Through Focused Care in a 'Deep End' General Practice in England: A Case Study.Journal of primary care & community healthArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis scoping review aims to provide an overview of how theories were used in the development or evaluation of social prescribing (SP) intervention studies.
backgroundSP describes a patient pathway where general practitioners (GPs) connect patients with community activities through referrals to link workers. This review seeks to understand the explanations provided for the outcomes and implementation process of SP. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Studies using a defined theory to develop or evaluate a specific SP intervention in primary care and the community sector.
methodsThis scoping review was conducted in accordance with JBI methodology. The following databases were searched on 8
resultsThe search resulted in 4240 reports, of which 18 were included in the scoping review. Of these, 16 were conducted in the UK, one in Canada and one in Australia. The majority of reports employed a qualitative approach (11/18). Three were study protocols. 11 distinct theories were applied to explain outcomes (4 theories), differences in outcomes (3 theories), and the implementation of the intervention (4 theories). In terms of practical application, the identified theories were predominantly used to explain and understand qualitative findings. Only one theory was used to define variables for hypothesis testing. All theories were used for the evaluation and none for the development of SP.
conclusionThe theories influenced which outcomes the evaluation assessed, which causal pathway was expected to generate these outcomes, and which methodological approaches were used. All three groups of theories that were identified focus on relevant aspects of SP: fostering positive patient/community outcomes, addressing inequalities by considering the context of someone's individual circumstances, and successfully implementing SP by collaboratively working across professions and institutional boundaries. Additional insight is required regarding the optimal use of theories in practical applications.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.