Public Health Nurses' Experiences of Child Maltreatment Preventive Work in Primary Healthcare: A Qualitative Metasynthesis

Por: Sigrid Hansen · Stine Junge Svendsen · Signe Zenia Hulgaard‐Bruvold · Anurajee Rasalingam

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore public health nurses' experiences of child maltreatment preventive work in primary healthcare.

Design

The metasynthesis approach was based on the guidelines by Sandelowski and Barroso for synthesising qualitative research.

Methods

The quality of the included studies was appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Qualitative Research. The analysis followed Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis.

Data Sources

Searches were conducted in five electronic databases: Cinahl, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science and SocINDEX in May and July 2024, and updated in April and December 2025.

Results

Thirteen qualitative studies were included, and five themes were developed: Insufficient knowledge about when and how to act, building a therapeutic relationship with parents, keeping the child's best interest in focus, in need of better interdisciplinary support and ambivalence in addressing child maltreatment.

Conclusion

Public health nurses face challenges in child maltreatment preventive work, including insufficient knowledge and limited interdisciplinary support. Even so, public health nurses demonstrate a strong commitment to children's safety and well-being and to building relations with families.

Implications for the Profession

The findings suggest an increased focus on strengthening public health nurses' knowledge of child maltreatment and improved interdisciplinary collaboration.

Impact

The findings are of interest to healthcare professionals and health authorities to improve child maltreatment preventive work in primary healthcare.

Reporting Method

This review adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.

Trial and Protocol Registration

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42025637855.

Optical correction of hyperopia in school-aged children: a scoping review protocol

Introduction

Prescribing patterns for hyperopia in children vary widely among eye care providers worldwide. This scoping review aims to identify and map the current literature on optical correction and catalogue outcomes reported, particularly in the domains of vision, vision-related functional outcomes and quality of life (QoL) in school-aged children with hyperopia.

Methods and analysis

This protocol was developed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute’s Manual for Evidence Synthesis. We will include studies involving school-aged children with hyperopia without restrictions on sex, gender, race, ethnicity, type of optical correction, length of intervention, publication date or country of origin. We will include studies with internal or external comparison groups. We will exclude studies associated with myopia control treatments, ocular and visual pathway pathologies affecting vision or visual function. We will search Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase.com and PubMed. Examples of data to be extracted include population demographics, visual acuity, study-specific definitions for refractive error, treatment regimens for optical correction, vision and vision-related functional outcomes and QoL (general or vision-related) as quantified by validated instruments.

Ethics and dissemination

Informed consent and Institutional Review Board approval will not be required, as this scoping review will only use published data. The results from the scoping review will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and at professional conferences.

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