Overshadowing of physical health problems in people with a mental disorder: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review protocol

Resumen

Background: Individuals with mental disorders experience more significant health disparities compared to the broader population and have a life expectancy that is, on average, 10 years shorter than those without such conditions. Diagnostic overshadowing could be a significant factor in the existence of this inequality in morbidity and mortality of people with a psychiatric diagnosis by producing a systemic difference in health care for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Aim: To understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals and individuals with a psychiatric disorder about diagnostic overshadowing.

Methods: The proposed review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for mixed-method review and will take a convergent integrated approach. A systematic search will be conducted across MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Web of Science. The critical appraisal tool, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, will be used to assess the quality. This protocol has been recorded in PROSPERO under the number CRD42024523764.

Conclusion: Diagnostic overshadowing has a negative impact on the physical and psychological health of those who experience it, as it contributes to delays in diagnosis and associated treatment. Therefore, it is one of the causes of healthcare inequity experienced by people with mental disorders.

Keywords: diagnostic overshadowing, multimorbidity, mental disorder, stigma, nurses. Mixed method systematic review, protocol