Scoping review of happiness and well-being measurement: uses and implications for paediatric surgery in low- and middle-income contexts.

objectiveThis study aims to map and compare existing methodologies for creating happiness and well-being indices and examine their application to paediatric surgical interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

designA scoping review methodology was used based on the guidelines published by the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. DATA SOURCES: Literature was sourced from PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar, supplemented by references from relevant studies. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies were selected based on relevance to LMIC settings, paediatric surgery and well-being or happiness outcomes. Inclusion criteria covered research on paediatric surgical interventions, well-being measures, happiness indices and studies on specific conditions impacting child well-being in LMICs. Exclusions applied to non-English studies, those with unclear methods, undefined well-being concepts, a focus on socioeconomic indices, surgical techniques over outcomes or those published before 2000. Eligible sources included research articles, review articles and technical reports. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently extracted data, including study characteristics, populations, methodologies and key findings. The data were organised in an Excel spreadsheet for clarity and accuracy. A total of 51 sources were initially identified, with 28 included in the final review.

resultsThe review revealed a broad range of well-being measurement techniques, from national population-level indices to health-related quality-of-life measures. A key finding was the strong reciprocal relationship between subjective well-being and physical health: subjective well-being impacts health outcomes, while health outcomes influence subjective well-being. However, the lack of standardised methods for assessing well-being postsurgery, particularly in LMICs, leads to inconsistent and fragmented data that complicate resource allocation and comparisons between interventions.

conclusionsThis review highlights the importance of integrating comprehensive well-being measures, particularly subjective assessments, into paediatric surgical contexts within LMICs. Such integration is critical to enhance global health interventions and capture the broader impacts of surgical care on well-being and happiness.