Systematic review on intentional non-medical fentanyl use among people who use drugs.

Objectives: Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid and has, until recently, been considered an unwanted contaminant in the street drug supply among people who use drugs (PWUD). However, it has become a drug of choice for an increasing number of individuals. This systematic review evaluated intentional non-medical fentanyl use among PWUD, specifically by summarizing demographic variance, reasons for use, and resulting patterns of use. Methods: The search strategy was developed with a combination of free text keywords and MeSH and non-MeSH keywords, and adapted with database-specific filters to Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PsychINFO. Studies included were human studies with intentional use of non-medical fentanyl or analogues in individuals older than 13. Only peer-reviewed original articles available in English were included. Results: The search resulted in 4437 studies after de-duplication, of which 132 were selected for full-text review. Out of 41 papers included, it was found that individuals who use fentanyl intentionally were more likely to be young, male, and White. They were also more likely to have experienced overdoses, and report injection drug use. There is evidence that fentanyl seeking behaviours are motivated by greater potency, delay of withdrawal, lower cost, and greater availability. Conclusions: Among PWUD, individuals who intentionally use fentanyl have severe substance use patterns, precarious living situations, and extensive overdose history. In response to the increasing number of individuals who use fentanyl, alternative treatment approaches need to be developed for more effective management of withdrawal and opioid use disorder. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021272111.

Co-designing clinical trials alongside youth with chronic pain.

Youth have a right to participate in research that will inform the care that they receive. Engagement with children and young people has been shown to improve rates of enrollment and retention in clinical trials as well as reduce research waste. The aim of the study is to gain practical insight on the design of trials specifically on (1) recruitment and retention preferences, (2) potential barriers to research, and (3) study design optimization. Based on this youth engagement, we will co-design two clinical trials in headaches with youth. Two recruitment strategies were used to recruit 16 youth from across Canada (aged 15-18 years) from an existing youth group, the KidsCan Young Persons' Research Advisory Group (YPRAG) and a new youth group in collaboration with Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP). Four virtual, semi-structured discussion groups were held between April and December 2020, which included pre-circulated materials and utilized two distinct upcoming planned trials as examples for specific methods feedback. Individual engagement evaluations were completed following the final group session using the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool. Descriptive results were shared with participants prior to publication to ensure appropriate interpretation. The discussion was centred around three themes: recruitment and retention preferences, potential barriers to participation, and study design optimization. Youth indicated that they would prefer to be contacted for a potential study directly by their physician (not over social media), that they would like to develop rapport with study staff, and that one of the barriers to participation is the time commitment. The youth also provided feedback on the design of the clinical trial including outcome measurement tools, data collection, and engagement methods. Feedback on the virtual format of the engagement events indicated that participants appreciated the ease of the online discussion and that the open-ended discussion allowed for easy exchange of ideas. They felt that despite a gender imbalance (towards females) it was an overall inclusive environment. All participants reported believing that their engagement will make a difference to the work of the research team in designing the clinical trials. Perspectives from a diverse group of youth meaningfully improved the design and conduct of two clinical trials for headaches in children. This study provides a framework for future researchers to engage youth in the co-design of clinical trials using online engagement sessions.

A Pilot Study Comparing a Community of Practice Program with and without Concurrent Ketamine-Assisted Therapy.

The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased among healthcare providers, while the effectiveness of conventional treatments remains limited. Ketamine-assisted therapy offers a promising alternative; however, few have integrated ketamine with a group-based therapeutic modality. We report a retrospective, secondary analysis of a 12-week pilot of a Community of Practice (CoP) oriented group therapy program with optional, adjunct ketamine for depression, anxiety, and PTSD in a sample of 57 healthcare providers. All participants moved through the treatment as one group, with 38 electing to also receive three adjunct ketamine sessions in addition to the weekly CoP. Symptoms were assessed at baseline and pilot completion with the PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, and PCL-5 for PTSD. We observed significant reductions in the mean change among all participants, suggesting that benefit was derived from the CoP component, with or without ketamine as an adjunct. PHQ-9 scores decreased by 6.79 (95% CI: 5.09-8.49, p < .001), GAD-7 scores decreased by 5.57 (CI: 4.12-7.00, p < .001), and PCL-5 scores decreased by 14.83 (CI: 10.27-19.38, p < .001). Reductions were larger, but statistically nonsignificant, among those receiving ketamine. Further research is required to assess the impact of ketamine as an adjunct in group-based therapies.

Engaging youth and parents in clinical pediatric research: A case-based example.

Background: Youth and parent engagement is a key component of clinical research. There are many ways to actively and meaningfully engage youth and parents as integral members of research teams, for example, through ad-hoc committees, advisory councils, or as co-leads on projects. When youth and parents are actively and meaningfully engaged in research projects, they share knowledge from their lived experiences to improve the quality and relevance of research. Methods: We describe a case-based example of engaging youth and parent research partners when co-designing a questionnaire to assess preferences for pediatric headache treatments, from both a researcher and youth/parent perspective. We also summarize best practices in patient and family engagement from the literature and pertinent guidelines to assist researchers with integrating patient and family engagement into their studies. Results: As researchers, we felt that the integration of a youth and parent engagement plan into our study significantly altered and strengthened questionnaire content validity. We encountered challenges throughout the process and detailed these experiences to help educate others about challenge mitigation and best practices in youth and parent engagement. As youth and parent partners, we felt that engaging in the process of questionnaire development was an exciting and empowering opportunity, and that our feedback was valued and integrated. Conclusions: By sharing our experience, we hope to catalyze thought and discussion around the importance of youth and parent engagement in pediatric research, with the goal of stimulating more appropriate, relevant, and high-quality pediatric research and clinical care in the future.

Safety and tolerability of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine for psychiatric treatment in the Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program: a retrospective chart review.

Background: In the last few years, ketamine is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of mental health conditions, but there is a lack of safety data informing intramuscular and sublingual dosing in a community-focused group psychotherapy setting. The Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy (RTT-KaT) program is a unique 12-week RTT-KaT program with 12 community of practice (a form of group therapy) sessions and three ketamine medicine sessions. Objectives: This study reports on adverse effects of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine dosing in a community group psychotherapy setting among 128 participants across four cohorts. Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: A chart review of the RTT-KaT Program was performed retrospectively on four cohorts (n = 128) that participated in 448 sessions running between September 2020 and December 2021. Baseline characteristics and adverse events were captured including medication administration before, during, and after RTT-KaT sessions. Analyses by session and by individual were conducted. Chi-square test with Yates' continuity correction was used to assess side effects in subgroups from ketamine administration. Results: RTT-KaT was well tolerated with none of the 128 participants dropping out of the program. Primarily, of the 448 sessions, 49.16% had elevated blood pressures post-KaT session by session. In terms of other adverse effects, 12.05% of participant-sessions experienced nausea, 2.52% had an episode of vomiting, 3.35% had a headache, and seven participant-sessions experienced dizziness. Analysis by individual revealed congruent findings. Conclusion: These findings suggest good safety and tolerability for RTT-KaT among individuals seeking treatment for mental health issues. The majority of participants did not experience adverse reactions and the adverse events that were recorded involved transient symptoms that were resolved with rest and/or medications. The group therapy model described provides a comprehensive approach and presents a promising model for operating a KaT program in a community setting.

Varenicline induced auditory hallucinations in a young female with bipolar disorder: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Creating appropriate and sustainable treatment plans for patients with concurrent disorders presents a challenge to psychiatrists and addiction medicine specialists alike. Although varenicline has been found to be the most effective medication for smoking cessation and abstinence when compared to results from placebo medications, nicotine patches and bupropion, caution is needed when starting patients on this medication. With the high prevalence of concurrent mental health and substance use disorders in vulnerably-housed populations in Canada, it becomes increasingly important to advocate for increased guidance and research into treating concurrent disorders. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case, a young female patient provisionally diagnosed with bipolar I disorder was hospitalized for a manic episode in the context of substance use and medication noncompliance. She also endorsed a long history of tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, cannabis and ketamine use. Perceptual abnormalities, including auditory hallucinations, were not recorded at admission. In addition to being stabilized for bipolar diagnosis, the patient was started on nicotine replacement therapy on Day 7 of admission followed by initiation of varenicline for smoking cessation on Day 14 of admission. Soon after the varenicline treatment was started, the patient developed auditory hallucinations, paranoia and referential beliefs. However, her insight was intact, and she had minimal thought form disorganization. In this case, these symptoms were thought to be secondary to varenicline after the consideration of potential alternative contributors. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of side effects as a result of varenicline use in patients with diagnosed mental health conditions is rare and underlying psychiatric illness is not labeled as an absolute contraindication in the prescription of varenicline. However, it is important to advocate for increased guidance and research on the treatment of substance use disorders in patients with bipolar I disorder. Patients may also benefit from increased collaboration between psychiatric and addiction services as that may allow for earlier recognition and intervention of symptoms to minimize distress.

Impacts of economic inequality on healthcare worker safety at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional analysis of a global survey.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which protection of healthcare workers (HCWs) as COVID-19 emerged was associated with economic inequality among and within countries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of associations of perceptions of workplace risk acceptability and mitigation measure adequacy with indicators of respondents' respective country's economic income level (World Bank assessment) and degree of within-country inequality (Gini index). SETTING: A global self-administered online survey. PARTICIPANTS: 4977 HCWs and healthcare delivery stakeholders from 161 countries responded to health and safety risk questions and a subset of 4076 (81.2%) answered mitigation measure questions. The majority (65%) of study participants were female. RESULTS: While the levels of risk being experienced at the pandemic's onset were consistently deemed as unacceptable across all groupings, participants from countries with less income inequality were somewhat less likely to report unacceptable levels of risk to HCWs regarding both workplace environment (OR=0.92, p=0.012) and workplace organisational factors (OR=0.93, p=0.017) compared with counterparts in more unequal national settings. In contrast, considerable variation existed in the degree to which mitigation measures were considered adequate. Adjusting for other influences through a logistic regression analysis, respondents from lower middle-income and low-income countries were comparatively much more likely to assess both occupational health and safety (OR=10.91, p≤0.001) and infection prevention and control (IPC) (OR=6.61, p=0.001) protection measures as inadequate, despite much higher COVID-19 rates in wealthier countries at the time of the survey. Greater within-country income inequality was also associated with perceptions of less adequate IPC measures (OR=0.94, p=0.025). These associations remained significant when accounting for country-level differences in occupational and gender composition of respondents, including specifically when only female care providers, our study's largest and most at-risk subpopulation, were examined. CONCLUSIONS: Economic inequality threatens resilience of health systems that rely on health workers working safely to provide needed care during emerging pandemics.

ATTENTIV: Instrumented Peripheral Catheter for the Detection of Catheter Dislodgement in IV Infiltration.

Intravenous (IV) infiltration is a common problem associated with IV infusion therapy in clinical practice. A multitude of factors can cause the leakage of IV fluids into the surrounding tissues, resulting in symptoms ranging from temporary swelling to permanent tissue damage. Severe infiltration outcomes can be avoided or minimized if the patient's care provider is alerted of the infiltration at its earliest onset. However, there is a lack of real-time, continuous infiltration monitoring solutions, especially those suited for clinical use for critically ill patients. Our design of the sensor-integrated ATTENTIV catheter allows direct detection of catheter dislodgement, a root cause of IV infiltration. We verify two detection methods: blood-tissue differentiation with a support vector machine and signal peak identification with a thresholding algorithm. We present promising preliminary testing results on biological and phantom models that utilize bioimpedance as the sensing modality. Clinical relevance- The sensor-embedded ATTENTIV catheter demonstrates potential to automate IV infiltration detection in lieu of using traditional infusion catheters and manual detection methods.

Reflecting on earlier affected areas that shaped COVID-19 mental health efforts.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious public health threat that many countries in the world are facing. While several measures are being taken to minimize the spread of infection, mental health efforts must address psychological challenges due to the pandemic. This commentary reflects on original research from earlier epicenters of COVID-19 and identifies effective practices and suggestions applicable to mental health interventions in the North American context. Tailored mental health services need to be provided for populations that are at high risk of infection. Suggested interventions targeting specific population groups, such as healthcare workers, COVID-19 patients, and vulnerable populations, are discussed.

Youth, Caregiver, and Provider Perception of the Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care for Youth with Chronic Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Youth with chronic diseases are required to transition from pediatric to adult care across the world at variable ages in their adolescent years. The aim of this study is to examine perspectives of young patients, caregivers, and physicians in the transition process. METHODS: This 3-phase mixed methods research study gathered data using an iterative approach with the collaboration of youth coresearchers. Physician opinions were gathered through a survey. Further data were collected through 15 semistructured, standardized interviews of adolescent medicine physicians. Perspectives of adolescents and young adult (AYA) patients and their caregivers were gathered independently using a 20-item survey. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and sorted by theme. RESULTS: In phase 1, respondents rated current transition processes as an average 5.19/10 on a 10-point Likert scale (1 = poor and 10 = excellent) with no participants rating 9 or 10 of 10. The top barrier identified was a lack of communication between pediatric and adult doctors (71.0%). The top ranked strategy for improvement was to provide formal transition guidelines (69.8%). In phase 2, specific concerns include lack of insurance coverage, lack of physicians available to take on youth transitioning to adult care who are also knowledgeable regarding pediatric conditions, and lack of funding or staff support for transition clinics. In phase 3, most of the youth surveyed (52%) reported that their physicians have not involved them in conversations about transitioning. AYA patients prefer the point of transfer to occur with other life transitions such as graduation, and caregivers prefer transfer to happen during times of stability where their children can dedicate adequate time to their health. CONCLUSION: Fulfilling youth desire for increased patient autonomy and ownership can help overcome their poor perception of the transition process. Increased physician training in adolescent health and improvements in post-transition community plans may be beneficial to prevent loss to follow-up among young patients across medical disciplines. Successful transition into adult care requires a unique process for each youth and requires adequate preparation from the pediatric front, empowerment of young patients and their families, and continuity of care by adult providers.

Shifting North American drug markets and challenges for the system of care.

Drug markets are dynamic systems which change based on demand, competition, legislation and revenue. Shifts that are not met with immediate and appropriate responses from the healthcare system can lead to public health crises with tragic levels of morbidity and mortality, as experienced Europe in the early 1990s and as is the case in North America currently. The major feature of the current drug market shift in North America is towards highly potent synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. An additional spike in stimulant use further complicates this issue. Without understanding the ever-changing dynamics of drug markets and consequent patterns of drug use, the healthcare system will continue to be ineffective in its response, and morbidity and mortality will continue to increase. Economic perspectives are largely neglected in research and clinical contexts, but better treatment alternatives need to consider the large-scale macroeconomic conditions of drug markets as well as the behavioural economics of individual substance use. It is important for policy makers, health authorities, first responders and medical providers to be aware of the clinical implications of drug market changes in order to best serve people who use drugs. Only with significant clinical research, a comprehensive reorganization of the system of care across all sectors, and an evidence-driven governance, will we be successful in addressing the challenges brought on by the recent shifts in drug markets.

Access of migrant gold miners to compensation for occupational lung disease: Quantifying a legacy of injustice.

BACKGROUND: A legacy of the South African gold mining industry, now in decline, is a large burden of silicosis and tuberculosis among former migrant miners from rural South Africa and surrounding countries, particularly Lesotho and Mozambique. This neglected population faces significant barriers in filing claims for compensation for occupational lung disease. The objective of the study was to gain insight into the extent of such barriers, particularly for former miners and cross-border migrants. METHODS: The database of a large gold mining company and the statutory compensation authority were analyzed for the period 1973-2018 by country of origin, age, and employment status at the time of claim filing. Proportions and odds ratios (ORs) for each of the compensable diseases were calculated by the above variables. Processing delays of claims were also calculated. RESULTS: Annual company employment declined from 240,718 in 1989 to 43,024 in 2018 and the proportion of cross-border migrants within the workforce from 51.0 to 28.1%. The compensation database contained 68,612 claims. The majority of compensable claims in all diagnostic categories were from active miners. The odds of cross-border miners relative to South African miners filing a claim depended on employment status. For example, the OR for Lesotho miners filing while in active employment was 1.86 (95% CI 1.81, 1.91), falling to 0.94 (95% CI 0.91, 0.98) among former miners. The equivalent findings for Mozambiquan miners were 0.95 (95% CI 0.91, 1.00), falling to 0.44 (95% CI 0.41, 0.47). Median processing delays over the whole period were from 1.1 years from filing to adjudication, and 3.8 years from filing to payment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide a quantitative view of differential access to occupational lung disease compensation, including long processing delays, among groups of migrant miners from the South African gold mines. There is a deficit of compensable claims for silicosis and silico-tuberculosis among former miners irrespective of country of origin. While cross-border miner groups appear to file more claims while active, this is reversed once they leave employment. Current large-scale efforts to provide medical examinations and compensation justice to this migrant miner population need political and public support and scrutiny of progress.

The era of virtual care: Perspectives of youth on virtual appointments in COVID-19 and beyond.

In response to COVID-19, paediatric providers have shifted to providing outpatient health care appointments through telehealth. Youth perspectives on changes to health care access during the pandemic are important to consider when optimizing care for paediatric patients. Youth who contributed to this commentary reported that major benefits of virtual care included time savings, ease of access, continuity of care, and ability to participate in health appointments from the comfort of one's own home without a risk of COVID-19 exposure. These youth also recognized limitations to virtual care, including the inability to complete laboratory or imaging tests, and the lack of physical examination capabilities. Additionally, they stressed the importance of visual components of virtual appointments and health care providers needing to consider privacy restrictions youth may have. Overall, our cohort of youth feel positive about virtual care and hope care providers can work with youth individually to determine the best solution for them.

Transforming Disruption Into Innovation: A Partnership Between the COVID-19 Medical Student Response Team and the University of British Columbia.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial disruptions in medical education. The University of British Columbia (UBC) MD Undergraduate Program (MDUP) is the sixth-largest medical school in North America. MDUP students and faculty developed a joint response to these disruptions to address the curriculum and public health challenges that the pandemic posed. After clinical activities were suspended in March 2020, third- and fourth-year MDUP students formed a COVID-19 Medical Student Response Team (MSRT) to support frontline physicians, public health agencies, and community members affected by the pandemic. A nimble organizational structure was developed across 4 UBC campuses to ensure a rapid response to meet physician and community needs. Support from the faculty ensured the activities were safe for the public, patients, and students and facilitated the provision of curricular credit for volunteer activities meeting academic criteria. As of June 19, 2020, more than 700 medical students had signed up to participate in 68 projects. The majority of students participated in projects supporting the health care system, including performing contact tracing, staffing public COVID-19 call centers, distributing personal protective equipment, and creating educational multimedia products. Many initiatives have been integrated into the MDUP curriculum as scholarly activities or paraclinical electives for which academic credit is awarded. This was made possible by the inherent flexibility of the MDUP curriculum and a strong existing partnership between students and faculty. Through this process, medical students were able to develop fundamental leadership, advocacy, communication, and collaboration skills, essential competencies for graduating physicians. In developing a transparent, accountable, and inclusive organization, students were able to effectively meet community needs during a crisis and create a sustainable and democratic structure capable of responding to future emergencies. Open dialogue between the MSRT and the faculty allowed for collaborative problem solving and the opportunity to transform disruption into academic innovation.

A systematic review of the latent structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) amongst adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a commonly used psychometric scale of depression. A four-factor structure (depressed affect, positive affect, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal difficulties) was initially identified in an American sample aged 18 to 65. Despite emerging evidence, a latent structure has not been established in adolescents. This review aimed to investigate the factor structure of the CES-D in adolescents. METHODS: We searched Web of Science, PsychINFO and Scopus and included peer-reviewed, original studies assessing the factor structure of the 20-item CES-D in adolescents aged ≤18. Two independent researchers screened results and extracted data. RESULTS: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were primarily from school-based samples in the USA or Asia. Studies that conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 9) reported a four-factor structure consistent with the original factor structure; these studies were primarily USA-based. Conversely, studies that conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) reported distinct two or three factor structures (n = 4) and were primarily based in Asia. LIMITATIONS: Studies in a non-English language and those that included individuals aged > 18 years were excluded. Ethnic or cultural differences as well as different analytical methods impacted generalisability of results. The use of CFA as the primary analysis may have biased towards a four-factor structure. CONCLUSIONS: A four-factor CES-D structure was an appropriate fit for adolescents in Western countries; further research is required to determine the fit in in Asian countries. This has important implications for clinical use of the scale. Future research should consider how cultural differences shape the experience of depression in adolescents.

Ten Global Surgical Care Statements for Children: examining our commitment to the future.

BACKGROUND: The lack of access to essential surgery for many of our world's children is a global health crisis. A third of all deaths in the pediatric population are due to surgical conditions. In low- and middle-income countries, an average of nine in ten children lack access to basic surgical care. METHODS: This review examines ten commitment statements ratified by numerous global pediatric surgical organizations aimed at addressing existing gaps in global surgical care for children. They are substantiated by a review of literature and represent over-arching principles. RESULTS: They prompt the recognition of childhood surgical disease as a global health priority and advocate for availability to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Calls to action highlight the importance of capacity building in the areas of education, data gathering, workforce, research, and international collaborations. DISCUSSION: Eventually, there is the hope for widespread approval of the guiding principles they represent and that the statements themselves, as encapsulations of these beliefs, may act as a continued call for advocacy and action for the necessary work, resources, and funding to mitigate global pediatric surgical disparities.

Using a Health Equity Lens to Evaluate Short-Term Experiences in Global Health (STEGH).

Background: The growing popularity of short-term experiences in global health (STEGH) has given rise to increasing criticism around their purported benefits and outcomes. With the global health and development community's growing focus on improving population health and equity worldwide as outlined in the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, there is a growing opportunity to examine and optimize the conduct of STEGH using an outcomes and equity focused lens. Objectives: This viewpoint aims to develop a framework that can be used to plan and evaluate STEGH on outcomes underpinned by a health equity focus. Methods: Drawing on logic model theory, the analysis first identifies extant issues and their drivers around the planning, implementation, and evaluation of tradition STEGH (focused on clinical service provision.) The analysis then explores various definitions of health equity, settling on a broad definition around context that promotes health for all as opposed to equity of access to healthcare services. With that definition as the ultimate benchmark of success, the analysis then proposes questions that can be used to determine how and when a STEGH might best be deployed to meet that goal. Findings: Traditional reliance on process outputs from service-based approaches have historically limited an understanding of if and how STEGH might advance health equity. Using an outcomes-focused approach identifies critical questions around the value of such experiences, when weighed against a broad definition of equity and other key global health themes such as sustainability, cultural humility, and impact. Measuring STEGH against the goal of improving population health status and equity worldwide allows careful consideration of the appropriateness and effectiveness of such efforts on their own and in concert with other interventions. Conclusions: The extent to which health equity is advanced should be the ultimate metric used to evaluate not only STEGH, but any global health endeavours.

Occupational Health Programs for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: A Systematic Review for the WHO Global Plan of Action for Workers' Health.

Background: Workers in the informal economy often incur exposure to well-documented occupational health hazards. Insufficient attention has been afforded to rigorously evaluating intervention programs to reduce the risks, especially in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Objectives: This systematic review, conducted as part of the World Health Organization's Global Plan of Action for Workers' Health, sought to assess the state of knowledge on occupational health programs and interventions for the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, an occupation which directly employs at least 50 million people. Methods: We used a comprehensive search strategy for four well-known databases relevant to health outcomes: PubMed, Engineering Village, OVID Medline, and Web of Science, and employed the PRISMA framework for our analysis. Findings: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria of a primary study focused on assessing the impact of interventions addressing occupational health concerns in ASGM. There were no studies evaluating or even identifying comprehensive occupational health and safety programs for this sector although target interventions addressing specific hazards exist. Major areas of intervention-education and introduction of mercury-reducing/eliminating technology were identified, and the challenges and limitations of each intervention taken into assessment. Even for these, however, there was a lack of standardization for measuring outcome or impact let alone long-term health outcomes for miners and mining communities. Conclusion: There is an urgent need for research on comprehensive occupational health programs addressing the array of hazards faced by artisanal and small-scale miners.