Educommunication in Nutrition and Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Scoping Review.

Neurodegenerative diseases significantly impact individuals' nutritional status. Therefore, nutritional education plays a crucial role in enhancing the understanding of food and nutrition, preventing or minimizing malnutrition, promoting well-being, and empowering patients and caregivers. Educommunication is a methodology that utilizes communication as a pedagogical tool, with the potential to positively enhance the teaching-learning process. This study aims to identify and map educommunication strategies designed to educate caregivers and patients with neurodegenerative diseases about food and nutrition. METHODS: This scoping review followed the JBI Institute Reviewer's Manual. The search was conducted between June 2022 and March 2023 in databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. RESULTS: Out of 189 studies identified, 29 met the eligibility criteria, and only 3 were suitable for inclusion in this review. CONCLUSION: Studies using educommunication for food and nutrition education are scarce. Despite the limited number of studies included in this review, various educommunication strategies utilizing communication and information technologies were used. Educommunication strategies can facilitate knowledge acquisition in food and nutrition and change behaviors, resulting in health benefits for the participants. More studies on this subject are needed.

Educommunication in nutrition and neurodegenerative diseases: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Neurodegenerative diseases affect the nervous system and are characterised by the deterioration and/or death of neurons. Nutrition care is essential for maintaining an adequate nutritional status, which influences the prognosis and survival of patients with neurological diseases. Caregivers participate assiduously in the care of these patients and must be integrated into the multidisciplinary team. They often need specific training or knowledge regarding food and nutrition to perform their roles with patients. Health educommunication is a learning tool that can positively influence the appropriation of the theme and the construction of care autonomy. This scoping review (ScR) will map educommunication actions/strategies in nutrition and neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This ScR will be designed based on the methodology of Arksey and O'Malley and will follow the methodological guidance for conducting a Joanna Briggs Institute ScR. The research question addressed by the scoping review will be: what actions/strategies for educommunication in nutrition and neurodegenerative diseases have been developed for patients or caregivers? Many search sites it will be used in this review, such as electronic databases (Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science), Google Scholar and grey literature sources. No restrictions of date or language will be applied to the search strategy. Two reviewers will independently screen all abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. Data, including the study design, objective, study population, neurodegenerative diseases, nutrition topics and educommunication strategies will be logically organised and tabulated in Microsoft Excel. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The data used for this review are from secondary sources and available to the public; thus, no ethical approval and human consent will be required for this study. Dissemination of the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences.

Nutritional therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterised by the degeneration of motor neurons. Nutritional interventions in ALS are essential and must be based on scientific evidence to provide quality of healthcare, improve the quality of life and increase survival time. Therefore, this protocol of systematic reviews and meta-analyses aims to present a synthesis of evidence-based recommendations to support adequate nutrition therapy for patients with ALS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The search will be performed using the following databases: PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ScienceDirect, ProQuest and Google Scholar. We will include clinical practice guidelines, treatment protocols, systematic reviews and clinical trials according to the three research questions to be answered related to nutrition therapy and interventions in patients with ALS. This protocol will be developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols. To evaluate the methodological quality of the studies, Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II, Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 and Risk of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tools will be used. In addition, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation will be used to assess the quality of evidence and the strength of the recommendations. The findings will be summarised and presented descriptively according to the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook and the standard statistical meta-analysis techniques. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval and human consent are not required because this is a protocol for systematic review and only secondary data will be used. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. In case of any changes in this protocol, amendments will be updated in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and the modifications will be explained in the final report of this review. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021233088.