How is a scoping review defined?

A scoping review is defined as a type of research synthesis that aims to map existing literature in a particular field to identify gaps in knowledge and to guide future research directions. This approach is particularly valuable in areas where the evidence base is still developing or when broader questions require a comprehensive overview of a wide-ranging topic.

By reviewing and summarizing the available research, a scoping review helps to clarify the scope and nature of the research landscape, making it easier for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to understand what is already known, what remains to be explored, and how to prioritize future studies.

In contrast to other types of reviews, such as systematic reviews that focus on the effects of interventions, scoping reviews do not aim to assess the effectiveness of a specific intervention, nor do they concentrate solely on qualitative or quantitative data from single studies. They encompass a wider variety of study designs and data types to provide a holistic view of the topic at hand.