Introduction: Literature reviews represent an important type of study for the various professions in healthcare. The consideration and inclusion of grey literature is gaining importance in all types of reviews. However, searching for grey literature is challenging for different reasons and the search is often insufficiently transparently reported in reviews. The aim of this protocol is to describe our planned methodical approach for a scoping review with a specific focus on grey literature related to the topic of consulting according to §7a of the German Social Law, Book XI (SGB XI) for people with dementia and their relatives in Germany.
Methods and analysis: We will use the following search strategies: (1) search in the German electronic databases, for example, Livivo and GeroLit (via GBV), (2) google search engines, (3) targeted websites, for example, Alzheimer's association and (4) contact experts, for example, stakeholders of private care insurance companies who provide consulting according to §7a SGB XI. Additionally, we will conduct a search in the academic electronic databases MEDLINE (via PubMed) and CINAHL (via EBSCO). For included grey literature, we will conduct a backward citation tracking via reference lists. For included scientific articles, we will conduct a backward (via reference lists) and forward (via Google scholar) citation tracking. Each strategy will be conducted by one reviewer. Screening of the identified potentially relevant records will be conducted in Covidence by two reviewers independently. Results will be charted in a table and illustrated descriptively.
Ethics and dissemination: There are no ethical concerns with conducting a scoping review. We will discuss our results regarding consulting according to §7a SGB XI for people with dementia and their relatives with a variety of stakeholders in Germany. We will disseminate the thematic results and the methodological reflection of our search approach in the form of articles in peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed journals.
Keywords: dementia; health policy; health services administration & management; statistics & research methods.
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