Strategies to tackle non-communicable diseases in Afghanistan: A scoping review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Scoping review mapping policy and program literature without systematic quality appraisal or quantitative synthesis
PubMed 36908476 · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.982416
What was done
A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley protocol and PRISMA guidelines to identify NCD control strategies implemented in countries with low premature NCD mortality. Authors searched eight international databases and grey literature for English-language documents published up to November 30, 2021, excluding incomplete texts, duplicates, and dissertations. Qualitative content analysis was performed using MaxQDA.
What was found
A total of 122 documents published between 1984 and 2021 met inclusion criteria. The authors identified 35 strategies, most frequently targeting unhealthy diet and smoking cessation. Leading sources of publications were Canada (26.4%), South Korea (19.8%), and the United Kingdom (19.0%). Most strategies were implemented over more than 2 years (41%).
Why it matters
The review compiles global NCD prevention and control strategies to help guide public health policy and intervention planning for health authorities in Afghanistan.
Limits
The search was restricted to English-language documents and excluded dissertations and inaccessible full texts. As a scoping review, it did not evaluate study quality, risk of bias, or quantitative effectiveness, and it predominantly reflects high-income country contexts that differ substantially from Afghanistan.
Cited by
- supports Chronic non-communicable degenerative diseases are the number one cause of death globally according to the World Health Organization.