torraco integrated literature review

•  Sign into My Research
•  Create My Research Account
• Company Website
• Our Products
• About Dissertations
• Español (España)
• Support Center

Select language

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Português (Brasil)
• Português (Portugal)

Welcome to My Research!

You may have access to the free features available through My Research. You can save searches, save documents, create alerts and more. Please log in through your library or institution to check if you have access.

Translate this article into 20 different languages!

If you log in through your library or institution you might have access to this article in multiple languages.

Get access to 20+ different citations styles

Styles include MLA, APA, Chicago and many more. This feature may be available for free if you log in through your library or institution.

Looking for a PDF of this document?

You may have access to it for free by logging in through your library or institution.

Want to save this document?

You may have access to different export options including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive and citation management tools like RefWorks and EasyBib. Try logging in through your library or institution to get access to these tools.

• More like this
• Preview Available
• Scholarly Journal

Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples

No items selected.

Please select one or more items.

You might have access to the full article...

Try and log in through your institution to see if they have access to the full text.

Content area

The integrative literature review is a distinctive form of research that generates new knowledge about the topic reviewed. Little guidance is available on how to write an integrative literature review. This article discusses how to organize and write an integrative literature review and cites examples of published integrative literature reviews that illustrate how this type of research has made substantive contributions to the knowledge base of human resource development.

Keywords: literature review; integrative literature review; integrative research review: synthesis

The integrative literature review is a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. Several integrative literature reviews have made seminal contributions to our knowledge of human resource development (HRD) and related fields; some are cited in this article. Recognizing the value of work that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes knowledge from the literature on topics of interest to the field, Human Resource Development Review (HRDR) has published at least one integrative literature review in every issue since the journal began almost 4 years ago. The editors of HRDR continue to seek wellwritten review articles that yield provocative, new perspectives on key issues in the field.

This article discusses the distinctive characteristics of this form of research. In addition, we hope to counter the misconception that integrative literature reviews are less rigorous or easier to write than other types of research articles. On the contrary, the integrative literature review is a sophisticated form of research that requires a great deal of research skill and insight. Authors of review articles are expected to identify an appropriate topic or issue for the review, justify why a literature review is the appropriate means of addressing the topic or problem, search and retrieve the appropriate literature(s), analyze and critique the literature, and create new understandings of the topic through one or more forms of synthesis. This article offers guidelines for writing integrative literature reviews and cites examples of exemplary review articles. After reviewing the purposes best served by literature reviews, the article discusses how to organize and write an integrative literature review that offers valuable new perspectives on an issue. Examples of published integrative literature reviews are provided that...

You have requested "on-the-fly" machine translation of selected content from our databases. This functionality is provided solely for your convenience and is in no way intended to replace human translation. Show full disclaimer

Neither ProQuest nor its licensors make any representations or warranties with respect to the translations. The translations are automatically generated "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" and are not retained in our systems. PROQUEST AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES FOR AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Your use of the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in your Electronic Products License Agreement and by using the translation functionality you agree to forgo any and all claims against ProQuest or its licensors for your use of the translation functionality and any output derived there from. Hide full disclaimer

Suggested sources

• About ProQuest
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

• Help & FAQ

Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

The integrative literature review is a distinctive form of research that generates new knowledge about the topic reviewed. Little guidance is available on how to write an integrative literature review. This article discusses how to organize and write an integrative literature review and cites examples of published integrative literature reviews that illustrate how this type of research has made substantive contributions to the knowledge base of human resource development.

• integrative literature review
• integrative research review: synthesis
• literature review

ASJC Scopus subject areas

• Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Access to Document

• 10.1177/1534484305278283

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
• Link to the citations in Scopus

Fingerprint

• Literature Review Business & Economics 100%
• Human Resource Development Business & Economics 36%
• Knowledge Base Business & Economics 21%
• Guidance Business & Economics 19%

T1 - Writing Integrative Literature Reviews

T2 - Guidelines and Examples

AU - Torraco, Richard J.

PY - 2005/9

Y1 - 2005/9

N2 - The integrative literature review is a distinctive form of research that generates new knowledge about the topic reviewed. Little guidance is available on how to write an integrative literature review. This article discusses how to organize and write an integrative literature review and cites examples of published integrative literature reviews that illustrate how this type of research has made substantive contributions to the knowledge base of human resource development.

AB - The integrative literature review is a distinctive form of research that generates new knowledge about the topic reviewed. Little guidance is available on how to write an integrative literature review. This article discusses how to organize and write an integrative literature review and cites examples of published integrative literature reviews that illustrate how this type of research has made substantive contributions to the knowledge base of human resource development.

KW - integrative literature review

KW - integrative research review: synthesis

KW - literature review

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992782655&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84992782655&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/1534484305278283

DO - 10.1177/1534484305278283

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84992782655

SN - 1534-4843

JO - Human Resource Development Review

JF - Human Resource Development Review

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• v.26(5); 2021 Aug

Conducting integrative reviews: a guide for novice nursing researchers

Shannon dhollande.

Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, CQ University Brisbane, Australia

Annabel Taylor

Professor, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Sciences, CQ University Brisbane, Australia

Silke Meyer

Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Australia

Emergency Consultant, Emergency Department, Caboolture Hospital, Australia

Integrative reviews within healthcare promote a holistic understanding of the research topic. Structure and a comprehensive approach within reviews are important to ensure the reliability in their findings.

This paper aims to provide a framework for novice nursing researchers undertaking integrative reviews.

Established methods to form a research question, search literature, extract data, critically appraise extracted data and analyse review findings are discussed and exemplified using the authors’ own review as a comprehensive and reliable approach for the novice nursing researcher undertaking an integrative literature review.

Providing a comprehensive audit trail that details how an integrative literature review has been conducted increases and ensures the results are reproducible. The use of established tools to structure the various components of an integrative review increases robustness and readers’ confidence in the review findings.

Implications for practice

Novice nursing researchers may increase the reliability of their results by employing a framework to guide them through the process of conducting an integrative review.

A literature review is a critical analysis of published research literature based on a specified topic ( Pluye et al., 2016 ). Literature reviews identify literature then examine its strengths and weaknesses to determine gaps in knowledge ( Pluye et al. 2016 ). Literature reviews are an integral aspect of research projects; indeed, many reviews constitute a publication in themselves ( Snyder, 2019 ). There are various types of literature reviews based largely on the type of literature sourced ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). These include systematic literature reviews, traditional, narrative and integrative literature reviews ( Snyder, 2019 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) found more than 35 commonly used terms to describe literature reviews. Within healthcare, systematic literature reviews initially gained traction and widespread support because of their reproducibility and focus on arriving at evidence-based conclusions that could influence practice and policy development ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). Yet, it became apparent that healthcare-related treatment options needed to review broader spectrums of research for treatment options to be considered comprehensive, holistic and patient orientated ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). Stern et al. (2014) suggest that despite the focus in healthcare on quantitative research not all pertinent questions surrounding the provision of care can be answered from this approach. To devise solutions to multidimensional problems, all forms of trustworthy evidence need to be considered ( Stern et al. 2014 ).

Integrative reviews assimilate research data from various research designs to reach conclusions that are comprehensive and reliable ( Soares et al. 2014 ). For example, an integrative review considers both qualitative and quantitative research to reach its conclusions. This approach promotes the development of a comprehensive understanding of the topic from a synthesis of all forms of available evidence ( Russell, 2005 ; Torraco, 2005 ). The strengths of an integrative review include its capacity to analyse research literature, evaluate the quality of the evidence, identify knowledge gaps, amalgamate research from various research designs, generate research questions and develop theoretical frameworks ( Russell, 2005 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) suggested that integrative reviews exhibit similar characteristics to systematic reviews and may therefore be regarded as rigorous.

Integrative reviews value both qualitative and quantitative research which are built upon differing epistemological paradigms. Both types of research are vital in developing the evidence base that guides healthcare provision ( Leppäkoski and Paavilainen, 2012 ). Therefore, integrative reviews may influence policy development as their conclusions have considered a broad range of appropriate literature ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ). An integrative approach to evidence synthesis allows healthcare professionals to make better use of all available evidence and apply it to the clinical practice environment ( Souza et al. 2010 ). For example, Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) found in excess of 12 different types of reviews employed to guide healthcare practice. The healthcare profession requires both quantitative and qualitative forms of research to establish the robust evidence base that enables the provision of evidence-based patient-orientated healthcare.

Integrative reviews require a specific set of skills to identify and synthesise literature ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). There remains a paucity of literature that provides explicit guidance to novice nursing researchers on how to conduct an integrative review and importantly how to ensure the results and conclusions are both comprehensive and reliable. Furthermore, novice nursing researchers may receive little formal training to develop the skills required to generate a comprehensive integrative review ( Boote and Beile, 2005 ). Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) also emphasised the limited literature providing guidance surrounding integrative reviews. Therefore, novice nursing researchers need to rely on published guidance to assist them. In this regard this paper, using an integrative review conducted by the authors as a case study, aims to provide a framework for novice nursing researchers conducting integrative reviews.

Developing the framework

In conducting integrative reviews, the novice nursing researcher may need to employ a framework to ensure the findings are comprehensive and reliable ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ; Snyder, 2019 ). A framework to guide novice nursing researchers in conducting integrative reviews has been adapted by the authors and will now be described and delineated. This framework used various published literature to guide its creation, namely works by Aveyard and Bradbury-Jones (2019) , Nelson (2014), Stern et al. (2014) , Whittemore and Knafl (2005) , Pluye et al. (2009) , Moher et al., (2009) and Attride-Stirling, (2001) . The suggested framework involves seven steps ( Figure 1 ).

Integrative review framework ( Cooke et al. 2012 ; Riva et al. 2012 ).

Step 1: Write the review question

The review question acts as a foundation for an integrative study ( Riva et al. 2012 ). Yet, a review question may be difficult to articulate for the novice nursing researcher as it needs to consider multiple factors specifically, the population or sample, the interventions or area under investigation, the research design and outcomes and any benefit to the treatment ( Riva et al. 2012 ). A well-written review question aids the researcher to develop their research protocol/design and is of vital importance when writing an integrative review.

To articulate a review question there are numerous tools available to the novice nursing researcher to employ. These tools include variations on the PICOTs template (PICOT, PICO, PIO), and the Spider template. The PICOTs template is an established tool for structuring a research question. Yet, the SPIDER template has gained acceptance despite the need for further research to determine its applicability to multiple research contexts ( Cooke et al., 2012 ). Templates are recommended to aid the novice nursing researcher in effectively delineating and deconstructing the various elements within their review question. Delineation aids the researcher to refine the question and produce more targeted results within a literature search. In the case study, the review question was to: identify, evaluate and synthesise current knowledge and healthcare approaches to women presenting due to intimate partner violence (IPV) within emergency departments (ED). This review objective is delineated in the review question templates shown in Table 1 .

Comparison of elements involved with a PICOTS and SPIDER review question.

( Cooke et al. 2012 ; Riva et al. 2012 ).

Step 2: Determine the search strategy

In determining a search strategy, it is important for the novice nursing researcher to consider the databases employed, the search terms, the Boolean operators, the use of truncation and the use of subject headings. Furthermore, Nelson (2014) suggests that a detailed description of the search strategy should be included within integrative reviews to ensure readers are able to reproduce the results.

The databases employed within a search strategy need to consider the research aim and the scope of information contained within the database. Many databases vary in their coverage of specific journals and associated literature, such as conference proceedings ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). Therefore, the novice nursing researcher should consult several databases when conducting their searches. For example, search strategies within the healthcare field may utilise databases such as Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Healthcare Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus and PsychInfo ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). These databases among others are largely considered appropriate repositories of reliable data that novice researchers may utilise when researching within healthcare. The date in which the searches are undertaken should be within the search strategy as searches undertaken after this date may generate increased results in line with the publication of further studies.

Utilising an established template to generate a research question allows for the delineation of key elements within the question as seen above. These key elements may assist the novice nursing researcher in determining the search terms they employ. Furthermore, keywords on published papers may provide the novice nursing researcher with alternative search terms, synonyms and introduce the researcher to key terminology employed within their field ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). For example, within the case study undertaken the search terms included among others: ‘domestic violence’, ‘domestic abuse’, ‘intimate partner violence and/or abuse’. To refine the search to the correct healthcare environment the terms ‘emergency department’ and/or ‘emergency room’ were employed. To link search terms, the researcher should consider their use of Boolean operators ‘And’ ‘Or’ and ‘Not’ and their use of truncation ( Cronin et al. 2008 ). Truncation is the shortening of words which in literature searches may increase the number of search results. Medical subject headings (MeSH) or general subject headings should be employed where appropriate and within this case study the headings included ‘nursing’, ‘domestic violence’ and ‘intimate partner violence’.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria allow the novice nursing researcher to reduce and refine the search parameters and locate the specific data they seek. Appropriate use of inclusion and exclusion criteria permits relevant data to be sourced as wider searches can produce a large amount of disparate data, whereas a search that is too narrow may result in the omission of significant findings ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ). The novice nursing researcher needs to be aware that generating a large volume of search results may not necessarily result in relevant data being identified. Within integrative reviews there is potential for a large volume of data to be sourced and therefore time and resources required to complete the review need to be considered ( Heyvaert et al. 2017 ). The analysis and refining of a large volume of data can become a labour-intensive exercise for the novice nursing researcher ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2010 ).

Stern et al. (2014) suggest various elements that should be considered within inclusion/exclusion criteria:

• the type of studies included;
• the topic under exploration;
• the outcomes;
• publication language;
• the time period; and
• the methods employed.

The use of limiters or exclusion criteria are an effective method to manage the amount of time it takes to undertake searches and limit the volume of research generated. Yet, exclusion criteria may introduce biases in the search results and should therefore be used with caution and to produce specific outcomes by the novice nursing researcher ( Hammerstrøm et al. 2017 ).

Whittemore and Knafl (2005) suggest that randomised controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case control studies, cross sectional studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses should all be included within the search strategy. Therefore, there are no biases based on the type of publication sourced ( Hammerstrøm et al. 2017 ).

There should be no restriction on the sample size within the studies recognising that qualitative studies generally have smaller sample sizes, and to capture the breadth of research available. There was no restriction on the date of publication within the case study as quality literature was limited. Scoping widely is an important strategy within integrative reviews to produce comprehensive results. A manual citation search of the reference list of all sourced papers was also undertaken by a member of the research team.

Literature may be excluded if those papers were published in a language foreign to the researcher with no accepted translation available. Though limiting papers based on translation availability may introduce some bias, this does ensure the review remains free from translational errors and cultural misinterpretations. In the case study, research conducted in developing countries with a markedly different healthcare service and significant resource limitations were excluded due to their lack of generalisability and clinical relevance; though this may have introduced a degree of location bias ( Nelson, 2014 ).

A peer review of the search strategy by an individual who specialises in research data searches such as a research librarian may be a viable method in which the novice healthcare researcher can ensure the search strategy is appropriate and able to generate the required data. One such tool that a novice nurse may employ is the Peer Review of the Search Strategy (PRESS) checklist. A peer review of the caste study was undertaken by a research librarian. All recommendations were incorporated into the search strategy which included removing a full text limiter, and changes to the Boolean and proximity operators.

After the search strategy has been implemented the researcher removes duplicate results and screened the retrieved publications based on their titles and abstracts. A second screening was then undertaken based on the full text of retrieved publications to remove papers that were irrelevant to the research question. Full text copies should then be obtained for critical appraisal employing validated methods.

Step 3: Critical appraisal of search results

The papers identified within the search strategy should undergo a critical appraisal to determine if they are appropriate and of sufficient quality to be included within the review. This should be conducted or reviewed by a second member of the research team, which occurred within this case study. Any discrepancies were discussed until consensus was achieved. A critical appraisal allows the novice healthcare researcher to appraise the relevance and trustworthiness of a study and, therefore, determine its applicability to their research (CASP, 2013). There are several established tools a novice nurse can employ in which to structure their critical appraisal. These include the Scoring System for Mixed-Methods Research and Mixed Studies Reviews developed by Pluye et al. (2009) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP, 2018) Checklists.

The review undertaken by the authors employed the scoring system for mixed-methods research and mixed-studies reviews developed by Pluye et al. (2009) . This scoring system was specifically designed for reviews employing studies from various research designs and therefore was utilised with ease ( Table 2 ).

The scoring system for mixed-methods research and mixed-studies reviews ( Pluye et al. 2009 ).

Using the CASP checklist aids the novice nursing researcher to examine the methodology of identified papers to establish validity. This critical appraisal tool contains 10 items. These items are yes or no questions that assist the researcher to determine (a) if the results of the paper are valid, (b) what the results are and (c) if it is relevant in the context of their study. For example, the checklist asks the researcher to consider the presence of a clear statement surrounding the aims of the research, and to consider why and how the research is important in regard to their topic (CASP, 2013). This checklist supports the nurse researcher to assess the validity, results and significance of research, and therefore appropriately decide on its inclusion within the review ( Krainovich-Miller et al., 2009 ).

Step 4: Summarise the search results

A summary of the results generated by literature searches is important to exemplify how comprehensive the literature is or conversely to identify if there are gaps in research. This summary should include the number of, and type of papers included within the review post limiters, screening and critical appraisal of search results. For example, within the review detailed throughout this paper the search strategy resulted in the inclusion of 25 qualitative and six quantitative papers ( Bakon et al. 2019 ). Many papers provide a summary of their search results visually in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram ( Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2015 ). PRISMA is a method of reporting that enables readers to assess the robustness of the results ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ). PRISMA promotes the transparency of the search process by delineating various items within the search process ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ). Researchers may decide how rigorously they follow this process yet should provide a rationale for any deviations ( Leclercq et al. 2019 ; Moher et al, 2009 ). Figure 2 is an example of the PRISMA flow diagram as it was applied within the case study.

Example PRISMA flow diagram ( Bakon et al. 2019 ; Moher et al. 2009 ).

Step 5: Data extraction and reduction

Data can be extracted from the critically appraised papers identified through the search strategy employing extraction tables. Within the case study data were clearly delineated, as suggested by Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic (2010) , into extraction or comparison tables ( Table 3 ). These tables specify the authors, the date of publication, year of publication, site where the research was conducted and the key findings. Setting out the data into tables facilitates the comparison of these variables and aids the researcher to determine the appropriateness of the papers’ inclusion or exclusion within the review ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ).

Example of a data extraction table.

Step 6: Analysis

Thematic analysis is widely used in integrative research ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). In this section we will discuss the benefits of employing a structured approach to thematic analysis including the formation of a thematic network. A thematic network is a visual diagram or depiction of the themes displaying their interconnectivity. Thematic analysis with the development of a thematic network is a way of identifying themes at various levels and depicting the observed relationships and organisation of these themes ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). There are numerous methods and tools available in which to conduct a thematic analysis that may be of use to the novice healthcare researcher conducting an integrative review. The approach used in a thematic analysis is important though a cursory glance at many literature reviews will reveal that many authors do not delineate the methods they employ. This includes the thematic analysis approach suggested by Thomas and Harden (2008) and the approach to thematic networking suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) .

Thomas and Harden (2008) espouse a three-step approach to thematic analysis which includes: (a) coding, (b) organisation of codes into descriptive themes, and (c) the amalgamation of descriptive themes into analytical themes. The benefit of this approach lies in its simplicity and the ease with which a novice nurse researcher can apply the required steps. In contrast, the benefit of the approach suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) lies in its ability to move beyond analysis and generate a visual thematic network which facilitates a critical interpretation and synthesis of the data.

Thematic networks typically depict three levels: basic themes, organising themes and global themes ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). The thematic network can then be developed. A thematic network is a visual depiction that appears graphically as a web like design ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ). Thematic networks emphasise the relationships and interconnectivity of the network. It is an illustrative tool that facilitates interpretation of the data ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ).

The benefits of employing a thematic analysis and networking within integrative reviews is the flexibility inherent within the approach, which allows the novice nursing researcher to provide a comprehensive accounting of the data ( Nowell et al. 2017 ). Thematic analysis is also an easily grasped form of data analysis that is useful for exploring various perspectives on specific topics and highlighting knowledge gaps ( Nowell et al. 2017 ). Thematic analysis and networking is also useful as a method to summarise large or diversified data sets to produce insightful conclusions ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). The ability to assimilate data from various seemingly disparate perspectives may be challenging for the novice nursing researcher conducting an integrative review yet this integration of data by thematic analysis and networking was is integral.

To ensure the trustworthiness of results, novice nursing researchers need to clearly articulate each stage within the chosen method of data analysis ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). The method employed in data analysis needs to be precise and exhaustively delineated ( Attride-Stirling, 2001 ; Nowell et al. 2017 ). Attride-Stirling (2001) suggests six steps within her methods of thematic analysis and networking. These steps include:

• code material;
• identify themes;
• construct thematic network;
• describe and explore the thematic network;
• summarise thematic network findings; and
• interpret patterns to identify implications.

In employing the approach suggested by Attride-Stirling (2001) within the case study the coding of specific findings within the data permitted the development of various themes ( Table 4 ). Inclusion of both quantitative and qualitative findings within the themes facilitated integration of the data which identified patterns and generated insights into the current care provided to IPV victims within ED.

Coding and theme formation.

Step 7: Conclusions and implications

A conclusion is important to remind the reader why the research topic is important. The researcher can then follow advice by Higginbottom (2015) who suggests that in drawing and writing research conclusions the researcher has an opportunity to explain the significance of the findings. The researcher may also need to explain these conclusions in light of the study limitations and parameters. Higginbottom (2015) emphasises that a conclusion is not a summary or reiteration of the results but a section which details the broader implications of the research and translates this knowledge into a format that is of use to the reader. The implications of the review findings for healthcare practice, for healthcare education and research should be considered.

Employing this structured and comprehensive framework within the case study the authors were able to determine that there remains a marked barrier in the provision of healthcare within the ED to women presenting with IPV-related injury. By employing an integrative approach multiple forms of literature were reviewed, and a considerable gap was identified. Therefore, further research may need to focus on the developing a structured healthcare protocol to aid ED clinicians to meet the needs of this vulnerable patient population.

Integrative reviews can be conducted with success when they follow a structured approach. This paper proposes a framework that novice nursing researchers can employ. Applying our stepped framework within an integrative review will strengthen the robustness of the study and facilitate its translation into policy and practice. This framework was employed by the authors to identify, evaluate and synthesise current knowledge and approaches of health professionals surrounding the care provision of women presenting due to IPV within emergency departments. The recommendations from the case study are currently being translated and implemented into the practice environment.

Key points for policy, practice and/or research

• Integrative literature reviews are required within nursing to consider elements of care provision from a holistic perspective.
• There is currently limited literature providing explicit guidance on how to undertake an integrative literature review.
• Clear delineation of the integrative literature review process demonstrates how the knowledge base was understood, organised and analysed.
• Nurse researchers may utilise this guidance to ensure the reliability of their integrative review.

Shannon Dhollande is a Lecturer, registered nurse and researcher. Her research explores the provision of emergency care to vulnerable populations.

Annabel Taylor is a Professorial Research Fellow at CQ University who with her background in social work explores methods of addressing gendered violence such as domestic violence.

Silke Meyer is an Associate Professor in Criminology and the Deputy Director of the Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre at Monash University.

Mark Scott is an Emergency Medical Consultant with a track record in advancing emergency healthcare through implementation of evidence-based healthcare.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethics: Due to the nature of this article this article did not require ethical approval.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Shannon Dhollande https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3181-7606

Silke Meyer https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3964-042X

• Attride-Stirling J. (2001) Thematic networks: An analytic tool for qualitative research . Qualitative Research 1 ( 3 ): 385–405. [ Google Scholar ]
• Aveyard H, Bradbury-Jones C. (2019) An analysis of current practices in undertaking literature reviews in nursing: Findings from a focused mapping review and synthesis . BMC Medical Research Methodology 19 ( 1 ): 1–9. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bakon S, Taylor A, Meyer S, et al. (2019) The provision of emergency healthcare for women who experience intimate partner violence: Part 1 An integrative review . Emergency Nurse 27 : 19–25. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Boell S, Cecez-Kecmanovic D. (2010) Literature reviews and the Hermeneutic circle . Australian Academic & Research Libraries 41 ( 2 ): 129–144. [ Google Scholar ]
• Boell S, Cecez-Kecmanovic D. (2015) On being systematic in literature reviews . Journal of Information Technology 30 : 161–173. [ Google Scholar ]
• Boote D, Beile P. (2005) Scholars before researchers: On the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation . Educational Researcher 34 ( 6 ): 3–15. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cooke A, Smith D, Booth A. (2012) Beyond PICO: The SPIDER tool for qualitative evidence synthesis . Qualitative Health Research 22 ( 10 ): 1435–1443. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) (2018) CASP Checklists . casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists.
• Cronin P, Ryan F, Coughlan M. (2008) Undertaking a literature review: A step by step approach . British Journal of Nursing 17 ( 1 ): 38–43. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hammerstrøm K, Wade A, Jørgensen A, et al. (2017) Searching for relevant studie . In: Heyvaert M, Hannes K, Onghena P. (eds) Using Mixed Methods Research Synthesis for Literature Reviews , Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, pp. 69–112. [ Google Scholar ]
• Heyvaert M, Maes B, Onghena P, et al. (2017) Introduction to MMRS literature reviews . In: Heyvaert M, Hannes K, Onghena P. (eds) Using Mixed Methods Research Synthesis for Literature Reviews , Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, pp. 1–22. [ Google Scholar ]
• Higginbottom G. (2015) Drawing conclusions from your research . In: Higginbottom G, Liamputtong P. (eds) Participatory Qualitative Research Methodologies in Health , London: SAGE, pp. 80–89. [ Google Scholar ]
• Krainovich-Miller B, Haber J, Yost J, et al. (2009) Evidence-based practice challenge: Teaching critical appraisal of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines to graduate students . Journal of Nursing Education 48 ( 4 ): 186–195. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leclercq V, Beaudart C, Ajamieh S, et al. (2019) Meta-analyses indexed in PsycINFO had a better completeness of reporting when they mention PRISMA . Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 115 : 46–54. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leppäkoski T, Paavilainen E. (2012) Triangulation as a method to create a preliminary model to identify and intervene in intimate partner violence . Applied Nursing Research 25 : 171–180. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, et al. (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA Statement . PLoS Med 6 ( 7 ): e1000097. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Nelson H. (2014) Systematic Reviews to Answer Health Care Questions , Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health. [ Google Scholar ]
• Nowell L, Norris J, White D, et al. (2017) Thematic analysis . International Journal of Qualitative Methods 16 ( 1 ): 1–13. [ Google Scholar ]
• Pluye P, Gagnon M, Griffiths F, et al. (2009) A scoring system for appraising mixed methods research, and concomitantly appraising qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods primary studies in mixed studies reviews . International Journal of Nursing Studies 46 : 529–546. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pluye P, Hong Q, Bush P, et al. (2016) Opening up the definition of systematic literature review: The plurality of worldviews, methodologies and methods for reviews and syntheses . Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 73 : 2–5. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Riva JJ, Malik KM, Burnie SJ, et al. (2012) What is your research question? An introduction to the PICOT format for clinicians . The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association 56 ( 3 ): 167–171. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Russell C. (2005) An overview of the integrative research review . Progress in Transplantation 15 ( 1 ): 8–13. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Snyder H. (2019) Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines . Journal of Business Research 104 : 333–339. [ Google Scholar ]
• Soares C, Hoga L, Peduzzi M, et al. (2014) Integrative review: Concepts and methods used in nursing . Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP 48 ( 2 ): 335–345. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Souza M, Silva M, Carvalho R. (2010) Integrative review: What is it? How to do it? Einstein 8 ( 1 ): 102–106. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stern C, Jordan Z, McArthur A. (2014) Developing the review question and inclusion criteria . American Journal of Nursing 114 ( 4 ): 53–56. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Thomas J, Harden A. (2008) Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews . BMC Medical Research Methodology 8 : 45. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Torraco R. (2005) Writing integrative literature reviews: Guidelines and examples . Human Resource Development Review 4 ( 3 ): 356–367. [ Google Scholar ]
• Whittemore R, Knafl K. (2005) The integrative review: Updated methodology . Journal of Advanced Nursing 52 ( 5 ): 546–553. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

•    Home
• Article citations
• Biomedical & Life Sci.
• Business & Economics
• Chemistry & Materials Sci.
• Computer Sci. & Commun.
• Earth & Environmental Sci.
• Engineering
• Medicine & Healthcare
• Physics & Mathematics
• Social Sci. & Humanities

Journals by Subject  

• Biomedical & Life Sciences
• Chemistry & Materials Science
• Computer Science & Communications
• Earth & Environmental Sciences
• Social Sciences & Humanities
• Paper Submission
• Information for Authors
• Peer-Review Resources
• Open Special Issues
• Open Access Statement
• Frequently Asked Questions

Publish with us  

Article citations More>>

Torraco, R.J. (2005) Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4, 356-367. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1534484305278283

has been cited by the following article:

TITLE: Executive Coaching: An Integrative Literature Review

KEYWORDS: Executive Coaching , Models , Definitions , Effectiveness

JOURNAL NAME: Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies , Vol.2 No.4 , November 19, 2014

ABSTRACT: Executive coaching literature was investigated to uncover common themes within definitions, models and approaches, and effectiveness. An integrative literature review of 533 publications found relationship, goals, performance, and learning to be keywords used most often in defining executive coaching. The most prominent approaches included cognitive, and goal oriented coaching. Effectiveness was most often described as goal achievement, quality of relationships, and levels of trust and support. Finally, executive coaching was summarized as consisting of two critical tasks: 1) establishing a collaborative relationship, and 2) enhancing the vision of the learner. Effectiveness was determined by success in developing and implementing a systematic process that may be adapted to each learner and demonstrating the patience necessary to allow change to occur.

Related Articles:

• Open   Access Articles HPV Vaccine: Integrative Review of National and International Guidelines Durval Silva Tavares Filho, Camille Marcele Resende Rocha, Elizabeth Bacha, Marcela Curvello Beltrão, Lusitânia Maria de Barros, Ádamo Newton Marinho Andrade, Fabiana Torres Valadares, Yasmin Nunes Machado Health Vol.14 No.12 , December 21, 2022 DOI: 10.4236/health.2022.1412091
• Open   Access Review Executive Coaching: An Integrative Literature Review James E. Bartlett II, Robert V. Boylan, Jimmie E. Hale Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies Vol.2 No.4 , November 19, 2014 DOI: 10.4236/jhrss.2014.24018
• Open   Access Review Health Promotion Model: An Integrative Literature Review Ibrahim Aqtam, Muhammad Darawwad Open Journal of Nursing Vol.8 No.7 , July 24, 2018 DOI: 10.4236/ojn.2018.87037
• Open   Access Articles Voice Taking: An Integrative Literature Review Zhenzhen Wei American Journal of Industrial and Business Management Vol.10 No.3 , March 19, 2020 DOI: 10.4236/ajibm.2020.103042
• Open   Access Articles Beyond Transformational Leadership: A Descriptive Review on the Future of Leadership Theory in Human Resource Development M. Joleen Watson Open Access Library Journal Vol.11 No.4 , April 22, 2024 DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1111362
• Journals A-Z

About SCIRP

• Publication Fees
• For Authors
• Peer-Review Issues
• Special Issues
• Manuscript Tracking System
• Subscription
• Translation & Proofreading
• Volume & Issue
• Open Access
• Publication Ethics
• Preservation
• Privacy Policy

• Open access
• Published: 26 June 2024

WHO, WHEN, HOW: a scoping review on flexible at-home respite for informal caregivers of older adults

• Maude Viens 1 , 2 ,
• Alexandra Éthier 1 , 2 ,
• Véronique Provencher 1 , 2 &
• Annie Carrier 1 , 2  

BMC Health Services Research volume  24 , Article number:  767 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

53 Accesses

Metrics details

As the world population is aging, considerable efforts need to be put towards developing and maintaining evidenced-based care for older adults. Respite services are part of the selection of homecare offered to informal caregivers. Although current best practices around respite are rooted in person centeredness, there is no integrated synthesis of its flexible components. Such a synthesis could offer a better understanding of key characteristics of flexible respite and, as such, support its implementation and use.

To map the literature around the characteristics of flexible at-home respite for informal caregivers of older adults, a scoping study was conducted. Qualitative data from the review was analyzed using content analysis. The characterization of flexible at-home respite was built on three dimensions: WHO , WHEN and HOW . To triangulate the scoping results, an online questionnaire was distributed to homecare providers and informal caregivers of older adults.

A total of 42 documents were included in the review. The questionnaire was completed by 105 participants. The results summarize the characteristics of flexible at-home respite found in the literature. Flexibility in respite can be understood through three dimensions: (1) WHO is tendering it, (2) WHEN it is tendered and (3) HOW it is tendered. Firstly, human resources ( WHO ) must be compatible with the homecare sector as well as being trained and qualified to offer respite to informal caregivers of older adults. Secondly, flexible respite includes considerations of time, duration, frequency, and predictability ( WHEN ). Lastly, flexible at-home respite exhibits approachability, appropriateness, affordability, availability, and acceptability ( HOW ). Overall, flexible at-home respite adjusts to the needs of the informal caregiver and care recipient in terms of WHO , WHEN , and HOW .

This review is a step towards a more precise definition of flexible at-home respite. Flexibility of homecare, in particular respite, must be considered when designing, implementing and evaluating services.

Peer Review reports

It is an undeniable fact that the world population is aging [ 1 ]. The World Health Organization [ 1 ] estimates that from 2015 to 2050, the percentage of people over 60 years of age will nearly double (from 12 to 22%). Governments must therefore put in place policies, laws and funding infrastructures to provide evidence-based social services and healthcare that are in line with best practices to allow people to age in place [ 2 ]. Aging in place refers to “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level” [ 3 ]. Relevant literature indicates that people do not want to age or end their lives in institutionalized care; most wish to receive care in their home and remain in their community with their informal caregivers [ 4 ].

There is then a need to adequately support informal caregivers (caregiver) in the crucial role that they have in allowing older adults to age in their own home. A caregiver is “a person who provides some type of unpaid, ongoing assistance with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living” [ 5 ]. In their duties, caregivers of older adults are responsible for a considerable amount of homecare [ 6 ]: Transportation, management of appointments and bills, domestic chores, etc. Private and public organizations offer a plethora of services to support caregivers of older adults (e.g., support groups, housekeeping, etc.), including respite. Respite is a service for caregivers consisting in “the temporary provision of care for a person, at home or in an institution, by people other than the primary caregiver” [ 7 ]. Maayan and collaborators [ 7 ] characterize all respite services according to three dimensions: (1) WHERE : The place; in a private home, a daycare centre or a residential setting, (2) WHEN : The duration and planning; ranging from a couple of hours to a number of weeks, planned or unplanned, and finally, (3) WHO : The person providing the service; this may be trained or untrained individuals, paid staff or volunteers. Respite is widely recognized as necessary to support caregivers of older adults [ 8 , 9 ]. Indeed, a large number of studies identify the need and use for respite [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. For example, Dal Santo and colleagues (2007) found that caregivers of older adults ( n  = 1643) used respite to manage stressful caregiving situations, but also to have a “time away”, without having to worry about their caregiving role [ 13 ]. At-home respite seems to be favoured over other forms of respite, even with the perceived drawbacks, such as the privacy breach of having a care worker in one’s home [ 14 , 15 ].

Studies suggest that caregivers of older adults seek flexibility as a main component of respite [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Flexibility, in line with person-centered care, allows respite that addresses their needs, rather than being services that are prescribed according to other criteria [ 16 , 17 ]. Thus, flexibility, both in accessing and in the respite itself, is essential [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Although there seems to be a consensus around the broader definition of respite, there is no literature reviewing the characteristics of flexible at-home respite. Some studies and reports from organizations and governments document the flexible characteristics of their models, but there are few literature reviews that address them, specifically [ 18 , 22 , 24 ]. Both reviews by Shaw et al. [ 18 ] and Neville et al. [ 19 ] concede that an operational definition of respite ( WHEN , WHERE , WHO ) is not clear. Neville et al. [ 19 ] conclude that “respite has the potential to be delivered in flexible and positive ways”, without addressing these ways. The absence of a unified definition for flexible at-home respite contributes to the challenges of implementing and evaluating services, as well as measuring their effect. Although respite services are deemed necessary, they are seldom used [ 19 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]; as little as 6% of all caregivers receiving any kind support services in Canada actually use them. In scientific literature, the under-usage of respite services is a shared reality around the world [ 28 ]. One of the main reasons for this under-usage is the overall lack of flexibility in both obtaining and using respite [ 29 , 30 ]. Synthesizing the characteristics of flexible at-home respite services is the first steppingstone to a common operational definition. This could contribute to increasing respite use through the implementation or enrichment of programs in ways that answer the dyad’s (caregiver and older adult) needs.

Consequently, to support the implementation and evaluation of homecare programs, the objective of this study was to synthesize the knowledge on the characteristics of flexible at-home respite services offered to caregivers of older adults.

A scoping review [ 32 , 33 , 34 ] was conducted, as part of a larger multi-method participatory research known as the AMORA project [ 31 ] to characterize flexible at-home respite. Scoping reviews allow to map the extent of literature on a specific topic [ 32 , 34 ]. The six steps proposed by Levac et al. [ 32 ] were followed: [ 1 ] Identifying the research question; [ 2 ] searching and [ 3 ] selecting pertinent documents; [ 4 ] extracting ( or charting ) relevant data; [ 5 ] collating, summarizing and reporting findings; [ 6 ] consultation with stakeholders. The sixth step is optional.

Identifying the research question

The research question was: “What are the characteristics of flexible at-home respite services offered to caregivers of older adults?” As the research was conducted, this question was divided into three sub-questions:

WHO is tendering flexible respite?

WHEN is flexible respite tendered?

HOW is flexible respite tendered?

Identifying relevant documents

The search strategy consisted of two methods. First, the key words (1) respite (2) informal caregivers (3) older adults in the title or abstract allowed to identify relevant documents (Table  1 ). Initially included, the term “ flexib *” was removed from the search, given the low number generated (60 versus 1,179 documents without). The first author and a librarian specialized in health sciences research documentation conducted the literature research in July of 2021 and updated it in December of 2022 in 6 databases ( Ageline , Cochrane , CINAHL , Medline , PsychInfo , and Abstracts in Social Gerontology ). The expanded research strategy then consisted of the identification of relevant documents from the selected bibliography and one article that was found by searching for unavailable references (alternative article).

Study selection

To review the most recent literature on flexible at-home respite service characteristics, the research team focused on writings within a 20-year span, as have other reviews (e.g., [ 35 , 36 ]); documents thus had to be published between 2001 and 2022. The research team selected documents written in French or English, only. Included documents had to come from either (1) scientific literature (i.e., articles in an academic journal presenting an empirical study or reviews) or (2) reports and briefs from government, homecare organizations or research centres. All study designs were included. The research team convened that at-home respite is an (1) individual (i.e., not in a group) service (although, theoretically, two persons living in the same household could receive it) from (2) a professional or a volunteer that occurs (3) in the home and that (4) it requires no transport for the dyad. To select documents related to flexible at-home respite, the research team identified those in which the respite displayed an ability to adapt to the dyad’s needs on at least one characteristic of the service, as presented by Maayan and collaborators ( WHERE [Not relevant to this review, as it focuses on at-home respite] , WHO , WHEN ). The team concluded that these three dimensions lacked the precision to globally characterize the service. Indeed, they did not describe access to or activities occurring during respite, or, as the team called it, the HOW (Fig.  1 ). Excluded documents were those covering several services at once, preventing the differentiation of elements that were specific to at-home respite services. As this is a scoping review, the research team did not include a critical appraisal of individual sources of evidence [ 32 , 34 ].

Following the step-by-step Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR) guidelines [ 37 ], the research team met to define the selection strategy. First, they screened the documents by their titles and abstracts, before determining their eligibility, based on their full text. Considering the limited human and financial resources, at each step of the PRISMAScR, a second team member assessed 10% of the documents independently to co-validate the selection; the goal was to reach 80% of agreement between both team members regarding document inclusion or exclusion. If an agreement was not reached, they would meet to obtain a consensus. The research team used Zotero reference management software to store documents as well as a cloud-based website to collaborate on the selection.

Conceptual mapping of results: HOW , WHEN , WHO

Charting the data

The first author charted (or extracted) both quantitative and qualitative data. To quantitatively characterize documents, contextual data (country of origin, year of publication, type of documents, etc.) was extracted in a Microsoft Excel table. For the qualitative data, the research team created an extraction table in Microsoft Word that included the three dimensions of respite ( WHO , WHEN and HOW) and one “ other ” dimension, as to not force any excerpts under the three dimensions. To co-validate the data charting, the second and third authors replicated 10% of the process. Expressly, the first author extracted elements related to a flexible characteristic of the at-home respite ( WHO , WHEN , HOW or other ). Considering limited resources, the third and second authors both co-validated the extraction of 10% of the documents. Authors met to reach a consensus where a disagreement arose.

Collating, summarizing, and reporting the results

The research team used content analysis to “attain a condensed and broad description of the phenomenon” [ 38 ]. To do so, data was prepared (familiarization with the data and extraction of pertinent excerpts) and organized (classification of excerpts) to build a characterization of flexible at-home respite. In this scoping review, a deductive content analysis began with three main categories ( WHO , WHEN , HOW ), with the addition of the temporary “ other ” category. Content analysis aimed to divide these categories into several generic categories, which subdivided into sub-categories (Fig.  2 ), inductively. This allowed to define the three main categories. While the WHO and the WHEN categories describe the service itself (time, duration, qualified staff, etc.), the HOW category is specific to the interface between the organization offering respite and the dyad (assessing the needs of the dyad, coordinating care, etc.). An interface is a situation where two “subjects” interact and affect each other [ 39 ]. In the context of homecare services, Levesque, Harris and Russell (2013) have defined that interface as access [ 40 ]. Therefore, to define the generic categories of the HOW , the team used the five dimensions of their access to care framework: Approachability, appropriateness, affordability, availability and acceptability [ 40 ]. Approachability relates to users recognizing the existence and accessibility of a service [ 40 ]. Appropriateness encompasses the alignment between services and users’ needs, considering timeliness and assessment of needs [ 40 ]. Affordability pertains to users’ economic capacity to allocate resources for accessing suitable services [ 40 ]. Availability signifies that services can be reached, both physically and in a timely manner [ 40 ]. Acceptability involves cultural and social factors influencing users’ willingness to accept services [ 40 ]. In other words, the HOW category focuses on the organizational or professional aspects of the service and how they can be adapted to the dyad.

To co-validate the classification, the research team met until they were all satisfied with the categorization. The first author then completed the classification. After classifying 20% of the documents, the second author would comment the classification. When the authors reached an agreement, the first author would move on to the classification of another 20%. First and second authors would meet when disagreements about classification and categories arose, to confer and adjust. Finally, all categories were discussed with the third author, until a consensus was reached. Once categorization was achieved, the team prepared a synthesis report. In this report, the team defined the main categories ( WHO , WHEN, HOW , other ) and their generic and sub-categories (Fig.  2 ) with pertinent excerpts from the reviewed literature. In summary, the results of the scoping review characterize flexible at-home respite under three attributes: WHO , WHEN and HOW .

Content analysis: Types of categories according to Elo and Kyngäs (2007) ( with examples from results )

Consultation

Rather than conducting a focus group as suggested by Levac and collaborators [ 32 ], the team chose to triangulate the results with those from a survey as a consultation strategy. Specifically, the research team took advantage of a survey being conducted with relevant stakeholders in the larger study (AMORA project), as it allowed to respect the scoping review’s allocated resources. The survey aimed to define flexible at-home respite and the factors affecting its implementation and delivery. A committee including a researcher, a doctoral student and a representative of an organization funding homecare services in Québec (Canada), developed the survey following the three stages proposed by Corbière and Fraccaroli [ 41 ]. It originally included a total of 21 items: Thirteen [ 13 ] close-ended and 8 open-ended questions. Of these 8, 2 addressed the characteristics of an ideal at-home service and suggestions regarding respite and were used here for triangulation purposes. The questionnaire was published online, in French, on the Microsoft Forms ® platform in the summer of 2020. Recruitment of participants (caregivers and people from the homecare sector) was done via email, by contacting regional organizations (Eastern Townships, Québec, Canada). In addition, the 18 senior consultation tables spread throughout the territory of the province of Québec were solicited; working in collaboration with governmental instances in charge of services to older adults and caregivers, these tables bring together representatives for associations, groups or organizations concerned with their living conditions.

The goal was to triangulate the scoping review’s results, i.e., to identify what was common between the literature and real-world experiences, and, as such, to bring contextual value to the results. Accordingly, the team analyzed data using mixed categorization [ 42 ]. The categories from the scoping review served as a starting point (closed categorization), leaving room to create new categories, as the analysis progressed (open categorization). Once all the data (scoping and survey) was categorized, the team identified the characteristics according to sources. To do so, the team tabulated the reoccurrence of each category in the survey, in the scoping review, or in both. They then integrated the results to provide one unified categorization of flexible at-home respite. The AMORA project was approved by the research ethics committee of the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS) of the Eastern Townships (project number: 2021–3703).

Of the 1,301 papers retrieved through the database searches, 1,146 were not eligible based on title and abstract, while 116 were excluded after reading their full texts, resulting in 39 included documents (Fig.  3 ). Documents were mainly excluded because they did not provide details about the respite service and its flexibility. The expanded search yielded three additional documents, resulting in a total of 42 documents, included in this scoping review. This section details (1) the characteristics of the selected documents and (2) the characterization of flexible at-home respite.

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR) flow chart of the scoping review process [ 37 ]

Characteristics of selected documents

The majority (86%) of the documents in the review (Table  2 ) are from after 2005, with only 14% of the documents published before 2005, and are from 9 countries; United States ( n  = 18; 42%), United Kingdom ( n  = 11; 26%), Australia ( n  = 4; 10%), Canada ( n  = 2; 5%), Ireland ( n  = 2; 5%), France ( n  = 2; 5%), Belgium ( n  = 2; 5%), Germany ( n  = 1; 2%), New Zealand ( n  = 1). The types of documents were diverse: 68% ( n  = 28) were empirical studies, 31% ( n  = 13) theoretical papers and 1% ( n  = 2) government briefs. Most ( n  = 23; 56%) of the documents did not specify their research approach, while 10 and 9 took, respectively, a qualitative (23%) or quantitative approach (21%). Most documents address respite in the context of caregiving for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or other neurocognitive disorders ( n  = 25; 60%), while some targeted older adults in general ( n  = 14; 34%), people in palliative care ( n  = 4; 9%) or other older adult populations (for example, veterans) ( n  = 3; 1%). Respite was usually tendered by community organizations specialized in homecare ( n  = 32; 78%). Although the majority of the documents ( n  = 31; 75%) did not address the type of region (rural, urban, or mixed) surrounding the caregivers, those who did ( n  = 11; 26%) mainly reported being in a mixed environment ( n  = 9; 21%).

Characteristics of survey participants

Although all 100 participants completed the questionnaire, 71 participants answered at least 1 of the 2 open-ended questions: Each question had 66 and 41 answers. Of those 71 participants, most of them were women ( n  = 60; 85%). All participants were aged on average 55 years old (SD = 15). They were mostly from the Eastern Townships area ( n  = 56; 79%). Most participants were either caregivers ( n  = 24; 34%) or homecare workers ( n  = 28; 39%), while some were service administrators ( n  = 11; 15%), and some reported being both caregivers as well as working in the formal caregiving sector ( n  = 7; 10%). Only one person reported themselves as an older adult having a caregiver.

Characterization of flexible at-home respite

The characterization of flexible at-home respite will be presented below in three main categories which are WHO , WHEN , and HOW . Of note, 10 (24%) of the included documents had three categories of flexible components, 16 (38%) had 2 categories and 1 category. Almost all documents discussed the HOW of flexible at-home respite ( n  = 40, 95%). Out of the 33 categories constructed with the scoping review, only 6 (18%) were not reported in the questionnaire: (1) planned respite ( WHEN ), (2) screening of dyads ( HOW ), (3) determining frequency of respite ( HOW ), (4) coordination of care ( HOW ), (5) voucher approach ( HOW ) and (6) acceptability to low-income households ( HOW ). Moreover, the questionnaire added three characteristics that were not present in the scoping review: (1) respite needs to be approachable, (2) the organization must be prompt** and adhocratic** and (3) able to deliver respite regardless of the season** (availability). Generic or sub-categories present only in the scoping review are identified with 1 asterisk (*), while those present only in the questionnaire have 2 (**).

In the selected documents, the WHO dimension of flexible at-home respite services can be broken down into three qualifiers: (1) Compatible , (2) qualified and (3) trained (Table  3 ). This dimension includes all human resources contributing to homecare (administrative staff, governing bodies, paid and volunteer care workers). First, the workforce behind flexible respite is compatible , meaning it has personal characteristics and profiles relevant to homecare for caregivers of older adults [ 17 , 53 , 62 , 63 , 68 ]. Gendron and Adam explain this by describing how the role of the care worker in Baluchon Alzheimer™ goes beyond training: “The nature of their work with [Baluchon Alzheimer™] requires particular human and professional qualities that are quite as important as academic credentials” [ 53 ]. Personal characteristics such as flexibility [ 53 , 62 , 63 , 68 ], empathy and patience [ 17 , 53 , 62 ] are deemed essential attributes. Secondly, the workforce is qualified : It has the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge from past professional [ 14 , 45 , 62 , 70 ] and personal experience [ 62 ] to work, or volunteer, with caregivers of older adults. For a program like Baluchon Alzheimer™, “the backgrounds of the baluchonneuses vary […]; all have experience in gerontology” [ 53 ]. Other areas of qualification in the included documents are a nursing background [ 18 , 45 ] or knowledge related to dementia [ 69 ]. Finally, flexible at-home respite requires a trained workforce engaged in the process of acquiring knowledge and learning the skills to provide respite services to caregivers of older adults. For example, homecare organizations can offer specific training on various topics, depending on their target clientele: Dementia [ 44 ], palliative care [ 59 ], or homecare in general [ 44 ].

The WHEN dimension of flexible at-home respite contains 4 temporal features: (1) Time , (2) duration , (3) frequency and (4) predictability (Table  4 ). First, flexible respite is available on a wide range of possible time slots. For example, the service is “available 24 hours, but typically from 9 am to 10 pm” [ 64 ]. Secondly, flexible respite is accessible on a wide range of possible durations . The Community Dementia Support Service (CDSS) is an example of flexibility in duration by “[being] totally flexible, being available from 2 to 15 hours per week” [ 69 ]. Thirdly, the service is offered in different frequencies : It can be either recurrent or occasional, or a combination of both [ 18 , 64 , 66 ]. The last feature of the WHEN dimension is flexibility in predictability ; the respite service can be planned* or not. A study on respite services in South Australia found that most providers (93%) planned the respite care with the dyad, but that emergency or crisis services were still offered by 35% of them [ 50 ].

At-home respite is flexible when it demonstrates approachability : Caregivers can identify that some form of respite exists and can be reached (Table  5 ). For the respite service to be approachable, the organization needs to be reaching out to dyads; it proactively makes sure that caregivers of older adults have information on services, know of their existence and that they can be used. For example, the El Portal program put in place “advisory groups that included the local clergy, representatives from businesses, caregivers, and service providers who were used for outreach work” [ 66 ]. The organization also screens* dyads to assess their eligibility for respite, as well as for other services from the same program or organization. For example, the North Carolina (U.S.A.) Project C.A.R.E. has an initial assessment that considers the range of homecare services available, rather than just assessing for eligibility for a program [ 57 ]. In addition, flexible respite requires the organization to set attainable and inclusive requirements for eligibility, as to not discourage use [ 24 , 57 , 61 , 66 ]. Finally, the organization communicates consistently with the dyad. As Shanley explains in their literature review, “there are clear and open ways for carers to express concerns about the service, and an open mechanism is available for dealing with these concerns constructively” [ 17 ]. In addition, the survey participants discussed two other characteristics. First, for respite to be approachable, the organization is prompt**, respecting a reasonable delay between the request and the beginning of the service (wait list). Second, it is adhocratic**, meaning the organization does not depend on complex systems of rules and procedures to operate i.e., bureaucracy.

The second access dimension of flexible at-home respite is appropriateness (Table  6 ): The fit between respite services and the dyad’s needs, its timeliness, the amount of care spent in assessing their needs and determining the correct respite service. For the respite service to be appropriate, the organization assesses needs by collecting details about the dyad’s needs; this can include, but is not limited to, clinical, psychological, or social evaluation. The organization then proposes respite services from a wide range of options or packages: A multi-respite package, as presented by Arksey et al., can simply be the combination of at least two different respite services [ 44 ]. For the service to be appropriate, the organization also paces the respite. Apprehension towards service appropriateness can be mitigated by a gradual introduction to homecare, for example when the respite is presented as a trial [ 68 ]. The organization determines the service with the dyad and defines its different characteristics ( WHEN * , WHO ) so interventions correspond to their needs. The organization then determines the appropriate activities to do with the dyad during the respite. For example, the caregiver of older adults can be encouraged to use respite time for leisure (sleep, physical activity, etc.) [ 45 ], while the care worker supports the beneficiary in engaging in an activity such as a walk or a board game [ 14 ]. Furthermore, the organization coordinates* the services for the dyad and acts as a “respite broker” to arrange all aspects of care; this is especially relevant for programs that include a “care budget” that can be used at the caregivers’ discretion [ 58 ]. Finally, for the respite to be appropriate, the organization assures that it is in continuity with other health services, by connecting the dyads to pertinent resources. As described by Shaw, respite should be “embedded in a context that includes assessment, carer education, case management and counselling” [ 18 ].

The third access dimension of flexible at-home respite is affordability , referring to the economic capacity of the dyad to spend resources to use appropriate respite services (Table  7 ). The included documents only explored the direct cost of respite: The amount of money a dyad must pay to receive services. For the respite to be affordable, its direct cost is either (1) adapted, where the cost is modulated according to the dyad’s financial resources, for example on a sliding scale, based on income or (2) nonexistent [ 44 ].

Next, flexible at-home respite must demonstrate availability (Table  8 ): Services can be reached both physically and in a timely manner. Firstly, the organization offers respite in the dyads’ geographic area. Shanley described an at-home mobile respite program designed to reach rural and remote areas, where two care workers visit different locations for set periods of time [ 17 ]. Moreover, one sub-characteristic identified exclusively by the survey participants was seasonality. Indeed, the dyad has access to respite, regardless of the season**. Thus, the geography category is broken down between the access to service (1) in rural or remote areas and (2) notwithstanding the season. Flexibility in availability also requires that the dyads have access to unlimited respite time; the organization does not assign a finite bank of hours. Finally, the organization proposes diverse payment methods to the dyads. The consumer-directed approach is a way that homecare organizations offer flexibility. A care budget is allocated to the caregiver to purchase hours from homecare agencies or to hire their own respite workers. This includes payments to family members or friends to provide respite care [ 79 ]. An example of a type of consumer-directed approach is the use of vouchers*: Credit notes or coupons to purchase service hours from homecare agencies [ 44 ].

Finally, access to flexible at-home respite also relates to acceptability (Table  9 ): The cultural and social factors determining the possibility for the dyad to accept respite and the perception of the appropriateness of seeking services. For the respite to be acceptable, the organization targets and caters to the cultural diversity represented in their local population. The organization is also able to identify and to accommodate underserved groups. In the included documents, underserved groups lacked access to respite for two reasons: (1) Geographic isolation or (2) the requirements to be eligible to “traditional homecare” does not apply to them, for example, for younger people with dementia and people with HIV/AIDS [ 17 ]. The organization can target and cater to low-income households*. Rosenthal Gelman and his collaborators detail a program where, after realizing that low-income caregivers have greater unmet needs, special funds were set aside for respite care vouchers to be distributed [ 70 ].

This scoping review conducted with Levac and colleagues’ method [ 32 ] synthesized the knowledge on the characteristics of flexible at-home respite services offered to caregivers of older adults, from 42 documents. The results provide a synthesis of the characteristics of flexible at-home respite discussed in the literature. The three dimensions of flexibility in respite relate to (1) WHO is tendering it, (2) WHEN it is tendered and (3) HOW it is tendered. First, human resources ( WHO ) must be compatible with the homecare sector as well as being trained and qualified to offer respite to caregivers of older adults. The second feature of flexible respite is temporality ( WHEN ): The time, duration, frequency, and predictability of the service. The last dimension, access ( HOW ), refers to the interface between the respite and the users. Flexible at-home respite exhibits approachability, appropriateness, affordability, availability, and acceptability. In the light of what we learned, flexible at-home respite could be characterized as a service that has the ability to adjust to the needs of the dyad on all three dimensions ( W HO , WHEN , HOW ). However, this seems to be more of an ideal than a reflection of reality.

The survey provided complementary results to the review; the concordance between the two is strong (27/33 = 82%). Six [ 6 ] characteristics were missing from the survey results, including planned respite and the voucher approach ( HOW ). Moreover, the survey added three elements to the review results: The organization’s adhocracy ( HOW ) and promptness ( HOW ) as well as its ability to offer services, regardless of the season ( HOW ). These mismatches might reflect the Québec (and possibly Canadian) landscape of homecare. For example, in the Québec homecare system, respite is mostly planned, it is therefore not surprising that people only mention that unplanned respite is lacking. The “voucher system” was not mentioned in the survey, probably in part because it does not exist in the province of Québec. Additionally, navigating the healthcare system to have free or affordable homecare can be treacherous [ 80 ]. In short, older adults have to go through (1) evaluation(s) by a social worker from a hospital or another public healthcare organization and (2) various administrative tasks ( adhocratic ) [ 2 ], before possibly being put on a waiting list ( prompt ) [ 81 ]. In addition, Canada can experience harsh winters ( seasonality ) that can make transport, which is an integral part of homecare, particularly laborious. Although those categories could reflect the particularity of homecare in Canada, a promising follow up on this review would be to compare the characteristics of flexible respite from one territory to another. It would contribute to providing a more operational definition of flexible at-home respite.

The remainder of this discussion will focus on two main points before touching on the limitations and strengths of this review. First, flexibility in at-home respite seems exceptional. Second, respite care workers are as skilled as they are underappreciated.

This review, in coherence with the literature, highlights the fact that respite services generally lack flexibility: This is the conclusion of several studies on respite [ 7 , 64 , 82 ]. A pattern seems to emerge in the countries represented in the review: Community organizations specialized in homecare (public and/or privately funded) offer respite on predetermined time slots, usually prescribed between traditional office hours (9 AM to 6 PM) [ 50 ]. This lack of flexibility could be explained in part by the rigidity of the structure of homecare services and the fact that its funding does not allow for customizable and punctual services [ 17 , 62 , 73 ]. Nevertheless, there were some examples of flexible respite models, such as Baluchon Alzheimer™ and consumer-directed approaches. Baluchon Alzheimer™ offers long-term at-home respite (4 to 14 days) by qualified and trained baluchonneuses . Prior to the relay of the caregivers, the baluchonneuse takes the time to learn about the dyad, including their environment and routine [ 53 , 62 ]. Caregivers report feeling refreshed upon their return and appreciate the diaries (or logbooks) that the baluchonneuse meticulously fills out [ 53 ]. Another example would be consumer-directed approaches, where caregivers are attributed a budget to hire their own care worker. Allowing caregivers to choose their care worker (either from a self-employed carer or family and friends) can increase the quality of care and satisfaction, while providing relatively affordable care, especially in a situation of labour shortage [ 51 , 79 ]. Even though these two models are a demonstration of how respite can be adapted to the caregiver-senior dyad, for the most part, flexibility is lacking on all three dimensions of respite ( WHO , WHEN , HOW ).

Secondly, the results from the scoping review highlight how homecare as a profession is often overlooked. Indeed, the reviewed documents state the necessary set of skills to offer respite; the level described is one of highly specialized care professionals with important liability. These skills must also transcend advanced knowledge and qualifications, to include interpersonal capabilities [ 17 , 53 , 62 , 63 , 68 ]. Furthermore, care workers must also be flexible to offer a wide range of service time and duration, in addition to being ready to provide “on-the-go” respite [ 53 , 68 ]. Yet, the occupation of homecare worker is an underappreciated and underpaid position [ 83 ]. Community care, like respite, is generally not a priority for social and healthcare funding [ 24 ]. This can be explained in part by the neoliberal approach to care in which the target is to minimize spending and maximize (measurable) outcomes [ 84 ]. Homecare outcomes are often overlooked in favour of service delivery evaluation, in part because they are difficult to measure [ 44 ]. This approach can also lead to prioritizing third party contracting instead of including respite in the range of public services, as to save on expenses related to employment (insurance and other benefits) [ 85 ]. Another contributor is that funding is used for service administration and not to adequately provide services or remunerate care workers [ 86 ]. Finally, care workers are mostly women, known for doing the invisible work that is at the heart of respite care (emotional support, etc.) [ 87 ]. A telling example from the reviewed documents is that Baluchon Alzheimer™ refers to their care workers as baluchonneuses (feminine form) and not baluchoneurs (masculine form) [ 53 ]. Consequently, the homecare sector is faced with recruitment and retention challenges [ 44 , 64 , 88 ]. Authors of the documents included in the review addressed the fact that flexibility in service meant that service providers had to function with excess capacity; for example, by building an “employee bank” to cover all the hours of the day and emergency calls [ 44 ]. Ultimately, staff turnover and shortage caused in part by the work being underappreciated could create a vicious cycle, leading to inflexibility in respite. In short, overlooking and underestimating the crucial and specialized work of homecare workers can contribute to staff turnover, which in turn could result in a lack of flexibility of at-home respite.

Limitations and strengths

The review’s methodological approach has some limitations and strengths. First, according to Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien [ 32 ], research teams could conduct a sixth step in their scoping study, consisting in consulting experts through a focus group or workshop. This last phase aims at providing further insight into the review’s results and to begin the knowledge translation process. The team did not conduct a traditional consultation phase. Instead, they triangulated the review’s results through a questionnaire. This method was of interest, because of the natural concordance between the results and the considerable number of participants ( n  = 100). The survey still allowed to refine the characterization of respite, but further knowledge transfer to homecare actors and caregivers is necessary. Although innovative, there is a need to further investigate the validity of this approach as a consultation phase. Secondly, the theme of flexible at-home respite may have narrowed the search and identification of relevant documentation, and therefore caused the team to overlook some of the literature. Empirical studies and reviews on respite seldom include a detailed description of services [ 89 , 90 , 91 ]. This made it challenging to understand what services are like, operationally, for the dyad and to judge their flexibility. In addition, it complexified the extraction of relevant data, as descriptions were sparse and scattered throughout the documents. The team worked to mitigate these limitations in the documentation research and data charting phase. To begin, they sorted through all the literature on at-home respite for caregivers of older adults. In other words, the team not only searched for, but also included any explicit mention of flexibility. After selection, the extraction tables allowed enough versatility to include all the flexible characteristics of service, regardless of their placement in the text (introduction, methodology or discussion) or length. Another limitation is that, due to resource constraints, only 10% of the document selection and extraction was assessed by two reviewers, although a minimum of 80% of agreement was met and discussions were used to reach consensus where a disagreement arose. To conclude, strengths of this review include the extensiveness and diversity of the documents and its rigorous methodology, co-validated by a peer and an experienced researcher, with assistance from a specialized librarian.

This review has both scientific and practical implications. From a scientific point of view, the results contribute to the body of knowledge on flexible respite service models for caregivers of seniors, an under-documented topic. To our knowledge, this is the first review that aims to characterize flexible at-home respite. Our results suggest the relevance of further documenting the factors influencing the implementation and delivery of flexible respite services, as well as the consequences of the lack of flexibility in respite services, which may lead to service underuse. Moreover, researchers could focus on documenting respite programs in countries that are not represented in this review. There were notably no documents from the continents of Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, good practices can go unreported in peer-reviewed publications; therefore, a review focusing on government reports and publications aimed at professionals could shed some light on promising respite models. From a practical point of view, this review serves as a starting point for the implementation of flexible home respite that is tailored to the caregivers’ and older adults’ needs. Our characterization of flexible at-home respite can be used to guide the improvement of existing respite services and to design new resources that reflect best practices in homecare, ultimately contributing to successful aging in place for older adults.

Data availability

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews

World Health Organization. Ageing and health. In Newsroom. 2022. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health . Accessed 3 Feb 2023.

Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. Chez soi: le premier choix, politique de soutien à domicile. 2003. https://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/msss/document-001351/ . Accessed 20 Mar 2022.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy places terminology. In Healthy places. 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/terminology.htm . Accessed 10 Mar 2022.

Low LF, Yap M, Brodaty H. A systematic review of different models of home and community care services for older persons. BMC Health Serv Res. 2011;11:1–15.

Article   Google Scholar  

Roth DL, Fredman L, Haley WE. Informal caregiving and its impact on health: a reappraisal from population-based studies. Gerontologist. 2015;55(2):309–19.

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Vandepitte S, Putman K, Van Den Noortgate N, Verhaeghe N, Annemans L. Cost-effectiveness of an in-home respite care program to support informal caregivers of persons with dementia: a model-based analysis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020;35(6):601–9.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Maayan N, Soares-Weiser K, Lee H. Respite care for people with dementia and their carers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(1):CD004396.

Yun-Hee Jeon, Brodaty H, Chesterson J. Respite care for caregivers and people with severe mental illness: literature review. J Adv Nurs Wiley-Blackwell. 2005;49(3):297–306.

Google Scholar  

O’connell B, Hawkins M, Ostaszkiewicz J, Millar L. Carers’ perspectives of respite care in Australia: an evaluative study. Contemp Nurse J Aust Nurs Prof. 2012;41(1):111–9.

Chan J. What do people with acquired brain injury think about respite care and other support services? Int J Rehabil Res Int Z Rehabil Rev Int Rech Readaptation. 2008;31(1):3–11.

Chappell NL, Reid RC, Dow E. Respite reconsidered: a typology of meanings based on the caregiver’s point of view. J Aging Stud. 2001;15(2):201–16.

Strang VR, Haughey M, Gerdner LA, Teel CS, Strang VR. Respite - a coping strategy for family caregivers. West J Nurs Res. 1999;21(4):450–71.

CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Dal Santo TS, Scharlach AE, Nielsen J, Fox PJ. Stress process model of family caregiver service utilization: factors associated with respite and counseling service use. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2007;49(4):29–49.

Ryan T, Noble R, Thorpe P, Nolan M. Out and about: a valued community respite service. J Dement Care. 2008;16(2):34–5.

Grant I, McKibbin CL, Taylor MJ, Mills P, Dimsdale J, Ziegler M, et al. In-home respite intervention reduces plasma epinephrine in stressed Alzheimer caregivers. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003;11(1):62–72.

O’Shea E, Timmons S, O’Shea E, Irving K. Multiple stakeholders’ perspectives on respite service access for people with dementia and their carers. Gerontologist. 2019;59(5):e490–500.

PubMed   Google Scholar  

Shanley C. Developing more flexible approaches to respite for people living with dementia and their carers. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2006;21(4):234–41.

Shaw C, McNamara R, Abrams K, Cannings-John R, Hood K, Longo M, et al. Systematic review of respite care in the frail elderly. Health Technol Assess. 2009;13(37):1–246.

Neville C, Beattie E, Fielding E, MacAndrew M. Literature review: use of respite by carers of people with dementia. Health Soc Care Community. 2015(1):51–3.

Ashworth M, Baker AH. Time and space: carers’ views about respite care. Health Soc Care Community. 2000;8(1):50–6.

Vandepitte S, Van Den Noortgate N, Putman K, Verhaeghe S, Annemans L. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an in-home respite care program in supporting informal caregivers of people with dementia: design of a comparative study. BMC Geriatr. 2016;16:207–207.

Dubé V, Ducharme F, Lachance L, Perreault O. Résultats de l’enquête sur la satisfaction des proches aidants concernant les services obtenus par des organismes communautaires financés par les Appuis régionaux du Québec: Rapport présenté à l’Appui national. 2018. https://www.lappui.org/Organisations/Medias/Fichiers/National-Fichiers/Publications/Resultats-de-l-enquete-sur-la-satisfaction-des-proches-aidants . Accessed 13 Jul 2022.

Funk LM. Relieving the burden of navigating health and social services for older adults and caregivers. IRPP Study. 2019;(73):1.

Feinberg LF, Newman SL. Preliminary experiences of the States in implementing the National Family Caregiver Support Program: a 50-state study. J Aging Soc Policy. 2006;18(3/4):95–113.

Albouy FX, Lorenzi JH, Villemeur A, Khan S. Propositions pour une Société du Vieillissement harmonieuse: Pour un accompagnement renforcé, optimal et solidaire des aidants ! 2020. http://www.tdte.fr/article/show/les-positions-de-la-chaire-tdte-pour-un-accompagnement-renforce-optimal-et-solidaire-des-aidants-263 . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

L’Appui pour les proches aidants d’aînés. Portrait démographique des proches aidants d’aînés au Québec. 2016. https://www.lappui.org/Organisations/Boite-a-outils/Portrait-demographique-des-proches-aidants-d-aines-au-Quebec . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Brandão D, Ribeiro O, Martín I. Underuse and unawareness of residential respite care services in dementia caregiving: constraining the need for relief. Health Soc Work. 2016;41(4):254–62.

O’Shea E, Timmons S, O’Shea E, Fox S, Irving K, Shea EO, et al. Key stakeholders’ experiences of respite services for people with dementia and their perspectives on respite service development: a qualitative systematic review. BMC Geriatr. 2017;17:1–14.

Huang HL, Shyu YIL, Chang MY, Weng LC, Lee I. Willingness to use respite care among family caregivers in Northern Taiwan. J Clin Nurs. 2008;18(2):191–8.

Leocadie MC, Roy MH, Rothan-Tondeur M. Barriers and enablers in the use of respite interventions by caregivers of people with dementia: an integrative review. Arch Public Health Arch Belg Sante Publique. 2018;76:72–72.

Laboratoire d’innovation par et pour les aînés. Projet AMORA. 2022. https://lippa.recherche.usherbrooke.ca/projet-amora/ . Accessed 10 Ap 2023.

Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5(1):69.

Anderson S, Allen P, Peckham S, Goodwin N. Asking the right questions: scoping studies in the commissioning of research on the organisation and delivery of health services. Health Res Policy Syst. 2008;6(1):1–12.

Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19–32.

Wittenberg Y, Kwekkeboom R, Staaks J, Verhoeff A, de Boer A. Informal caregivers’ views on the division of responsibilities between themselves and professionals: a scoping review. Health Soc Care Community. 2018;26(4):e460–73.

Nissen RM, Serwe KM. Occupational therapy Telehealth Applications for the dementia-caregiver Dyad: a scoping review. Phys Occup Ther Geriatr. 2018;36(4):366–79.

Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA Extension for scoping reviews (PRISMAScR): Checklist and Explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169:467–73. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850 .

Elo S, Kyngäs H. The qualitative content analysis process. J Adv Nurs. 2008;62(1):107–15.

Collins English Dictionary [Internet]. Glasgow (Scotland): HarperCollins; c2024. Interface. [cited 2024 feb 29]; [about 15 of screens]. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/interface .

Levesque JF, Harris MF, Russell G. Patient-centred access to health care: Conceptualising access at the interface of health systems and populations. Int J Equity Health. 2013;12(1):1–9.

Corbière M, Fraccaroli F. La conception, la validation, la traduction et l’adaptation transculturelle d’outils de mesure. Méthodes qualitatives, quantitatives et mixtes : Dans La recherche en sciences humaines, sociales et de la santé. Québec (QC): Presses de l’Université du Québec; 2014. pp. 577–623.

Miles H, Huberman AM, Saldana J. Qualitative data analysis: a methods sourcebook. 4 éd. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 2019.

Administration for Community Living. The Lifespan Respite Care Program. 2020. https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2018-05/Fact%20Sheet_Lifespan_Respite_Care_2018.pdf . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Arksey H, Jackson K, Croucher K, Weatherly H, Golder S, Hare P et al. Review of respite services and short-term breaks for carers of people with dementia. 2004. http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/73255/ . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Barrett M, Wheatland B, Haselby P, Larson A, Kristjanson L, Whyatt D. Palliative respite services using nursing staff reduces hospitalization of patients and improves acceptance among carers. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2009;15(8):389–95.

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Bayly M, Morgan D, Froehlich Chow A, Kosteniuk J, Elliot V. Dementia-related education and support service availability, accessibility, and use in rural areas: barriers and solutions. Can J Aging. 2020;39(4):545–85.

Bunn B, Baker C. Network. What a difference three hours can make. J Dement Care. 2006;14(4):10–1.

Caulfield M, Seddon D, Williams S, Hedd Jones C. Planning, commissioning and delivering bespoke short breaks for carers and their partner living with dementia: Challenges and opportunities. Health Soc Care Community. 2021. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=34363262&site=ehost-live . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Derence K. Dementia-specific respite: the key to effective caregiver support. N C Med J. 2005;66(1):48–51.

Evans D, Lee E. Respite services for older people. Int J Nurs Pract. 2013;19(4):431–6.

Feinberg LF. Ahead of the curve: emerging trends and practices in family caregiver support. 2006. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=gnh&AN=110981&site=ehost-live . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Fox A. A new model for care and support: sharing lives and taking charge. Work Older People Community Care Policy Pract. 2011;15(2):58–63.

Gendron M, Adam E. Caregiving challenges. Baluchon Alzheimer©: an innovative respite and support service in the home of the family caregiver of a person with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimers Care Q. 2005;6(3):249–61.

Hesse E. PRO DEM: a community-based approach to care for dementia. Health Care Financ Rev. 2005;27(1):89–94.

PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Hopkinson J, King A, Young L, McEwan K, Elliott F, Hydon K, et al. Crisis management for people with dementia at home: mixed-methods case study research to identify critical factors for successful home treatment. Health Soc Care Community. 2021;29(4):1072–82.

Ingleton C, Payne S, Nolan M, Carey I. Respite in palliative care: a review and discussion of the literature. Palliat Med. 2003;17(7):567–75.

Kelly CM, Williams IC. Providing dementia-specific services to family caregivers: North Carolina’s Project C.A.R.E. program. J Appl Gerontol. 2007;26(4):399–412.

King A, Parsons M. An evaluation of two respite models for older people and their informal caregivers. N Z Med J. 2005;118(1214):U1440–1440.

Kristjanson LJ, Cousins K, White K, Andrews L, Lewin G, Tinnelly C, et al. Evaluation of a night respite community palliative care service. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2004;10(2):84–90.

LaVela SL, Johnson BW, Miskevics S, Weaver FM. Impact of a multicomponent support services program on informal caregivers of adults aging with disabilities. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2012;55(2):160–74.

Link G. The administration for community living: programs and initiatives providing family caregiver support. Generations. 2015;39(4):57–63.

Lucet F. [In-home respite for the families of Alzheimer’s patients]. Soins Gerontol. 2015;(115):24–9.

Marquant M. [A volunteer helper for carers of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease]. Soins Gerontol. 2010;(85):36–7.

Mason A, Weatherly H, Spilsbury K, Arksey H, Golder S, Adamson J, et al. A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of community-based respite care for frail older people and their carers. Health Technol Assess. 2007;11(40):iii–88.

McKay EA, Taylor AE, Armstrong C. What she told us made the world of difference: Carers’ perspectives on a hospice at home service. J Palliat Care. 2013;29(3):170–7.

Moriarty J. Welcome and introduction to the innovative practice section. Dement. 2002;1(1):113–20.

Noelker L, Bowdie R. Caring for the caregivers: developing models that work. Generations. 2012;1(1):103–6.

Parahoo K, Campbell A, Scoltock C. An evaluation of a domiciliary respite service for younger people with dementia. J Eval Clin Pract. 2002;8(4):377–85.

Perks A, Nolan M, Ryan T, Enderby P, Hemmings I, Robinson K. Breaking the mould: developing a new service for people with dementia and their carers. Qual Ageing. 2001;2(1):3–11.

Rosenthal Gelman C, Sokoloff T, Graziani N, Arias E, Peralta A. Individually-tailored support for ethnically-diverse caregivers: enhancing our understanding of what is needed and what works. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2014;57(6/7):662–80.

Smith SA. Longitudinal examination of a psychoeducational intervention and a respite grant for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. 2006. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=gnh&AN=938302&site=ehost-live . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Sorrell JM. Developing programs for older adults in a faith community. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2006;44(11):15–8.

Staicovici S. Respite care for all family caregivers: the LifeSpan Respite Care Act. J Contemp Health Law Policy. 2003;20(1):243–72.

Starns MK, Karner TX, Montgomery RJV. Exemplars of successful Alzheimer’s demonstration projects. Home Health Care Serv Q. 2002;21(3–4):141–75.

Swartzell KL, Fulton JS, Crowder SJ. State-level Medicaid 1915(c) home and community-based services waiver support for caregivers. Nurs Outlook. 2022;70(5):749–57.

Tompkins SA, Bell PA. Examination of a psychoeducational intervention and a respite grant in relieving psychosocial stressors associated with being an Alzheimer’s caregiver. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2009;52(2):89–104.

Vandepitte S, Putman K, Van Den Noortgate N, Verhaeghe S, Annemans L. Effectiveness of an in-home respite care program to support informal dementia caregivers: a comparative study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019;34(10):1534–44.

Washington TR, Tachman JA. Gerontological social work student-delivered respite: a community-university partnership pilot program. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2017;60(1):48–67.

Whitlatch CJ, Feinberg LF. Family and friends as respite providers. J Aging Soc Policy. 2006;18(3/4):127–39.

Martin D, Miller AP, Quesnel-Vallée A, Caron NR, Vissandjée B, Marchildon GP. Canada’s universal health-care system: achieving its potential. Lancet Lond Engl. 2018;391(10131):1718–35.

Canadian Institute for Health Information. Wait times for home care services. In: Your health systems. 2023. https://yourhealthsystem.cihi.ca/hsp/inbrief?lang=en&_gl=1*2ysioj*_ga*MTYzNTk0MjAxMS4xNjc1NDQwNzQ3*_ga_44X3CK377B*MTY4MTkyMDYzMi4yLjEuMTY4MTkyMDY5MC4wLjAuMA.&_ga=2.134837618.2075493098.1681920633-1635942011.1675440747#!/indicators/089/wait-times-for-home-care-services/;mapC1;mapLevel2 ;/. Accessed 28 Ap 2020.

Carretero S, Garcés J, Ródenas F. Evaluation of the home help service and its impact on the informal caregiver’s burden of dependent elders. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007;22(8):738–49.

Bonnet T, Primerano J. The masks of recognition: the work of home care aides during the COVID-19 health crisis. Lien Soc Polit. 2022;88:89–110.

Rostgaard T. Quality reforms in Danish home care–balancing between standardisation and individualisation. Health Soc Care Community. 2012;20(3):247–54.

Plourde A. Les agences de placement comme vecteurs centraux de la privatisation des services de soutien à domicile. 2022. https://iris-recherche.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/IRIS_Agence_PlacementSSS_web-VF.pdf . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Scholey C, Schobel K. Mesure de la performance des organismes sans but lucratif: Le tableau de bord équilibré comme outil. 2016. https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ressources-en-comptabilite-et-en-affaires/strategie-risque-et-gouvernance/gouvernance-dosbl/publications/mesure-de-la-performance-des-osbl . Accessed 20 Mar 2020.

Khanam F, Langevin M, Savage K, Sharanjit U. Women working in paid care occupations. 2022. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2022001/article/00001-eng.htm . Accessed 20 Mar 2022.

Moore H, Dishman L, Fick J. The challenge of employee retention in medical practices across the United States: An exploratory investigation into the relationship between operational succession planning and employee turnover. In: Hefner JL, Nembhard IM, editors. Advances in health care management. 2021. pp. 45–75.

Clarkson P, Challis D, Hughes J, Roe B, Davies L, Russell I et al. Components, impacts and costs of dementia home support: a research programme including the DESCANT RCT. 2021. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=34181370&site=ehost-live . Accessed 20 Mar 2022.

Cobley CS, Fisher RJ, Chouliara N, Kerr M, Walker MF. A qualitative study exploring patients’ and carers’ experiences of early supported discharge services after stroke. Clin Rehabil. 2013;27(8):750–7.

Jegermalm M. Direct and indirect support for carers: patterns of support for informal caregivers to elderly people in Sweden. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2002;38(4):67–84.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The team thanks the Université de Sherbrooke’s library and archives service for their support. The team also want to thank everyone who participated in the survey.

This article describes a part of a larger study on flexible respite funded by the Fonds de la recherche du Québec (#309508) – Santé and the Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (#892-2019-3075). Annie Carrier and Véronique Provencher are Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé Junior 1 and Junior 2 researchers (#296437 and #297008, respectively). Alexandra Éthier is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Research Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral Program recipient (#476590 − 71729).

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

Maude Viens, Alexandra Éthier, Véronique Provencher & Annie Carrier

Research Center on Aging, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

MV conducted the review and co-wrote the article with AE. AE co-validated the study selection and co-wrote the article. AC co-validated the study selection, data charting and reviewed the article. VP reviewed the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maude Viens .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

The AMORA project was approved by the research ethics committee of the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS) of the Eastern Townships (project number: 2021–3703).

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Viens, M., Éthier, A., Provencher, V. et al. WHO, WHEN, HOW: a scoping review on flexible at-home respite for informal caregivers of older adults. BMC Health Serv Res 24 , 767 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11058-0

Download citation

Received : 05 June 2023

Accepted : 29 April 2024

Published : 26 June 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11058-0

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Home care/homecare
• Informal caregiving
• Older adults
• Scoping review

BMC Health Services Research

ISSN: 1472-6963

• General enquiries: [email protected]

Information

• Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

• Active Journals
• Find a Journal
• Proceedings Series
• For Authors
• For Reviewers
• For Editors
• For Librarians
• For Publishers
• For Societies
• For Conference Organizers
• Open Access Policy
• Institutional Open Access Program
• Special Issues Guidelines
• Editorial Process
• Research and Publication Ethics
• Article Processing Charges
• Testimonials
• Preprints.org
• SciProfiles
• Encyclopedia

Article Menu

• Subscribe SciFeed
• Recommended Articles
• Google Scholar
• on Google Scholar
• Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

The role of bim in integrating digital twin in building construction: a literature review.

1. Introduction

2. background, 2.1. concept of bim, 2.2. concept of digital twin, 2.3. advancement of bim to digital twin, 3. methodology, 4. literature review, 4.1. discussion on available research on digital twin with bim.

• Integration of BIM and DT: Douglas et al. [ 35 ] focused on using real time data from sensors and other sources to enhance the DT, as well as using data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze these data and make predictions about building performance;
• Real time data analysis: Opoku et al. [ 27 ] and Deng et al. [ 11 ] focused on using real time data from sensors and other sources to enhance the DT, as well as using data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze these data and make predictions about building performance;
• Simulation and visualization: there has been research on using simulation and visualization technologies to enhance the DT and improve decision-making in the construction and engineering industries [ 21 , 27 ];
• Cost and resource optimization: DT and BIM potentially reduce costs, improve resource allocation, and increase overall efficiency in the building construction process [ 33 , 40 ];
• BIM/DT in the context of sustainability: the integration of BIM and DT support sustainable design and construction practices by incorporating data on energy efficiency [ 21 ], material usage [ 26 ], and environmental impact [ 18 ]; it integrates real-time data from sensors and IoT devices [ 21 ], enabling continuous monitoring [ 5 ], analysis, and proactive maintenance [ 34 ] for sustainable practices.

4.2. Evolution of Digital Twin from BIM

4.3. current study to compare digital twin with bim.

• Concept Origin: technology’s origin is its history, goals, and principles. Understanding the concept helps researchers evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and applications. The concept’s origin can also indicate which technological parts are more developed or need more research.
• Purpose: to define each technology’s scope and goals. This criterion helps determine their complementary roles and the best integration strategies to improve building design, construction, and operation.
• Application focus: It highlights each technology’s primary focus. It also shows each technology’s pros and cons to guide future improvements. It is crucial to choose the right technology for a project or application.
• Features: They are an essential aspect of the scientific comparison between BIM and DT, as they help understand each technology’s capabilities and limitations and their potential for integration and interoperability.
• Level of Details: We can assess the pros and cons of integrating these technologies into building projects.
• Scalability: allows for evaluating their ability to handle different types of projects and their potential limitations regarding resource requirements and integration with other technologies.
• Main Users: Identify each technology’s primary users and how it meets their needs. This information can help stakeholders choose technology based on project needs and team expertise.
• Interoperability: enables these technologies to be integrated with other systems and software, leading to greater efficiencies and improved outcomes in the building lifecycle management process.
• Application interface: evaluates the usability and effectiveness of the software for different users and applications.
• Building life cycle stage: compares BIM and DT in building construction, as it can help determine which technology is more suitable for a given project.

4.3.1. Concept Origin

4.3.2. purposes, 4.3.3. application focus, 4.3.4. features, 4.3.5. level of details (lod), 4.3.6. scalability, 4.3.7. main users, 4.3.8. interoperability, 4.3.9. application interface, 4.3.10. characteristics, 4.4. advancement of bim to improve digital twin in building construction.

• Increased interoperability: BIM technology has become more interoperable, allowing seamless data exchange between platforms and systems [ 7 ]. It makes creating and updating DT easier with real time data from sensors and other sources.
• Improved data accuracy: BIM technology can offer precise and comprehensive insights into a building’s blueprint, building process, and maintenance, all of which can contribute to developing a more precise DT [ 12 ].
• Increased collaboration: BIM enables collaboration among architects, engineers, and construction professionals, leading to better decision-making and improved overall outcomes [ 25 ]. When this collaboration is applied to creating a DT, it can result in a more comprehensive and effective virtual representation of the building.
• Better visualization: BIM technology has advanced to include more realistic and interactive visualizations [ 40 ], making it easier to understand and analyze the building’s performance through the DT [ 11 ].
• More advanced simulation: BIM has also advanced to include more advanced simulation capabilities, allowing for the simulation of complex systems and analyzing building performance in real time [ 40 ].

5. Result and Discussion

5.1. result and discussion, 5.2. limitation, 5.3. future study, 6. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

• Zhang, J.; Cheng, J.C.P.; Chen, W.; Chen, K. Digital Twins for Construction Sites: Concepts, LoD Definition, and Applications. J. Manag. Eng. 2022 , 38 , 04021094. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Lu, Q.; Xie, X.; Heaton, J.; Parlikad, A.K.; Schooling, J. From BIM towards Digital Twin: Strategy and Future Development for Smart Asset Management. In Service Oriented, Holonic and Multi-Agent Manufacturing Systems for Industry of the Future ; Borangiu, T., Trentesaux, D., Leitão, P., Giret Boggino, A., Botti, V., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; pp. 392–404. [ Google Scholar ]
• Grieves, M. Digital Twin: Manufacturing Excellence through Virtual Factory Replication ; Michael W. Grieves, LLC: Cocoa Beach, FL, USA, 2015. [ Google Scholar ]
• O’Gorman, T. How Digital Twins Optimize the Performance of Your Assets in a Sustainable Way. IBM Blog . 2023. Available online: https://www.ibm.com/blog/how-digital-twins-optimize-the-performance-of-your-assets-in-a-sustainable-way (accessed on 22 May 2023).
• Sacks, R.; Brilakis, I.; Pikas, E.; Xie, H.S.; Girolami, M. Construction with Digital Twin Information Systems. Data Cent. Eng. 2020 , 1 , e14. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Autodesk Autodesk. Available online: https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/digital-twin/architecture-engineering-construction (accessed on 15 February 2022).
• Boje, C.; Guerriero, A.; Kubicki, S.; Rezgui, Y. Towards a Semantic Construction Digital Twin: Directions for Future Research. Autom. Constr. 2020 , 114 , 103179. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chen, Y.; Kamara, J.M. A Framework for Using Mobile Computing for Information Management on Construction Sites. Autom. Constr. 2011 , 20 , 776–788. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Fischer, M.; Ashcraft, H.W.; Reed, D.; Khanzode, A. Atul Khanzode Integrating Project Delivery ; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2017; ISBN 978-0470587355. Available online: https://www.amazon.com/Integrating-Project-Delivery-Martin-Fischer/dp/0470587350 (accessed on 29 October 2022).
• Eastman, C.M.; Eastman, C.; Teicholz, P.; Sacks, R.; Liston, K. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors ; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2011; ISBN 978-0-470-54137-1. [ Google Scholar ]
• Deng, M.; Menassa, C.C.; Kamat, V.R. From BIM to Digital Twins: A Systematic Review of the Evolution of Intelligent Building Representations in the AEC-FM Industry. ITcon 2021 , 26 , 58–83. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Akanmu, A.A.; Anumba, C.J.; Ogunseiju, O.O. Towards next Generation Cyber-Physical Systems and Digital Twins for Construction. ITcon 2021 , 26 , 505–525. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Building Digital Twin Association Publications: Antwerp, Belgium, 2019. White Paper, Q4 2019. p. 9. Available online: https://buildingdigitaltwin.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WhitePaper1-en.pdf (accessed on 22 May 2023).
• Adhikari, S.; Collins, J.; Loreto, G.; Nguyen, T.D. The Use of Parametric Modeling to Enhance the Understanding of Concrete Formwork Structures. In Proceedings of the 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual, 26–29 July 2021. [ Google Scholar ]
• Grieves, M.W. Product Lifecycle Management: The New Paradigm for Enterprises. Int. J. Prod. Dev. 2005 , 2 , 71–84. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Grieves, M. Product Lifecycle Management: Driving the next Generation of Lean Thinking ; McGraw-Hill: New York, NY, USA, 2006; ISBN 978-0-07-145230-4. [ Google Scholar ]
• Grieves, M. Virtually Perfect: Driving Innovative and Lean Products through Product Lifecycle Management ; Space Coast Press: Cocoa Beach, FL, USA, 2011; ISBN 978-0-9821380-0-7. [ Google Scholar ]
• Seaton, H.; Savian, C.; Sepasgozar, S.; Sawhney, A. Digital Twins from Design to Handover of Constructed Assets ; Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: London, UK, 2022. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hardin: BIM and Construction Management: Proven Tools. Available online: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=BIM%20and%20Construction%20Management%3A%20Proven%20Tools%2C%20Methods&author=B.%20Hardin&publication_year=2009 (accessed on 10 May 2023).
• Zhou, L.; An, C.; Shi, J.; Lv, Z.; Liang, H. Design and Construction Integration Technology Based on Digital Twin. In Proceedings of the 2021 Power System and Green Energy Conference (PSGEC), Shanghai, China, 20–22 August 2021; pp. 7–11. [ Google Scholar ]
• Khajavi, S.H.; Motlagh, N.H.; Jaribion, A.; Werner, L.C.; Holmström, J. Digital Twin: Vision, Benefits, Boundaries, and Creation for Buildings. IEEE Access 2019 , 7 , 147406–147419. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Jones, D.; Snider, C.; Nassehi, A.; Yon, J.; Hicks, B. Characterising the Digital Twin: A Systematic Literature Review. CIRP J. Manuf. Sci. Technol. 2020 , 29 , 36–52. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Sepasgozar, S.M.E. Differentiating Digital Twin from Digital Shadow: Elucidating a Paradigm Shift to Expedite a Smart, Sustainable Built Environment. Buildings 2021 , 11 , 151. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• El Jazzar, M.; Piskernik, M.; Nassereddine, H. Digital Twin in Construction: An Empirical Analysis. In Proceedings of the EG-ICE 2020 Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering, Proceedings, Online, 1–4 July 2020. [ Google Scholar ]
• Shahzad, M.; Shafiq, M.T.; Douglas, D.; Kassem, M. Digital Twins in Built Environments: An Investigation of the Characteristics, Applications, and Challenges. Buildings 2022 , 12 , 120. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Alonso, R.; Borras, M.; Koppelaar, R.H.E.M.; Lodigiani, A.; Loscos, E.; Yöntem, E. SPHERE: BIM Digital Twin Platform. Proceedings 2019 , 20 , 9. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Opoku, D.-G.J.; Perera, S.; Osei-Kyei, R.; Rashidi, M. Digital Twin Application in the Construction Industry: A Literature Review. J. Build. Eng. 2021 , 40 , 102726. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Sawhney, A.; Riley, M.; Irizarry, J.; Pérez, C.T. A Proposed Framework for Construction 4.0 Based on a Review of Literature. In EPiC Series in Built Environment ; EasyChair: Liverpool, UK, 2020; Volume 1, pp. 301–309. [ Google Scholar ]
• Madubuike, O.C.; Anumba, C.J.; Khallaf, R. A Review of Digital Twin Applications in Construction. ITcon 2022 , 27 , 145–172. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Feng, H.; Chen, Q.; García de Soto, B. Application of Digital Twin Technologies in Construction: An Overview of Opportunities and Challenges. In Proceedings of the 38th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2021), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 4 August 2021. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang, H.; Zhou, Y.; Zhu, H.; Sumarac, D.; Cao, M. Digital Twin-Driven Intelligent Construction: Features and Trends. Struct. Durab. Health Monit. 2021 , 15 , 183–206. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Grieves, M.W. Virtually Intelligent Product Systems: Digital and Physical Twins. In Complex Systems Engineering: Theory and Practice ; Flumerfelt, S., Schwartz, K.G., Mavris, D., Briceno, S., Eds.; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.: Reston, VA, USA, 2019; pp. 175–200. ISBN 978-1-62410-564-7. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang, X.; Shen, J.; Saini, P.K.; Lovati, M.; Han, M.; Huang, P.; Huang, Z. Digital Twin for Accelerating Sustainability in Positive Energy District: A Review of Simulation Tools and Applications. Front. Sustain. Cities 2021 , 3 , 663269. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Hosamo, H.H.; Imran, A.; Cardenas-Cartagena, J.; Svennevig, P.R.; Svidt, K.; Nielsen, H.K. A Review of the Digital Twin Technology in the AEC-FM Industry. Adv. Civ. Eng. 2022 , 2022 , e2185170. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Douglas, D.; Kelly, G.; Kassem, K. BIM, Digital Twin and Cyber-Physical Systems: Crossing and Blurring Boundaries. In Proceedings of the 2021 European Conference on Computing in Construction, Rhodes, Greece, 26 July 2021; pp. 204–211. [ Google Scholar ]
• Gorse, C.; Booth, C.; Scott, L.; Dastbaz, M. Climate Emergency—Managing, Building, and Delivering the Sustainable Development Goals: Selected Proceedings from the International Conference of Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) 2020 ; Springer International Publishing: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2021; ISBN 978-3-030-79450-7. [ Google Scholar ]
• Sobhkhiz, S.; El-Diraby, T. Developing BIM-Based Linked Data Digital Twin Architecture to Address a Key Missing Factor: Occupants ; ASCE Library: Reston, VA, USA, 2022; pp. 11–20. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Almatared, M.; Liu, H.; Tang, S.; Sulaiman, M.; Lei, Z.; Li, H.X. Digital Twin in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry: A Bibliometric Review ; ASCE Library: Reston, VA, USA, 2022; p. 678. [ Google Scholar ]
• Quirk, D.; Lanni, J.; Chauhan, N. Digital Twins: Details Of Implementation. ASHRAE J. 2020 , 62 , 20–24. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bolpagni, M.; Gavina, R.; Ribeiro, D. Industry 4.0 for the Built Environment: Methodologies, Technologies and Skills ; Springer Nature: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2021; ISBN 978-3-030-82430-3. [ Google Scholar ]
• Daniotti, B.; Masera, G.; Bolognesi, C.M.; Lupica Spagnolo, S.; Pavan, A.; Iannaccone, G.; Signorini, M.; Ciuffreda, S.; Mirarchi, C.; Lucky, M.; et al. The Development of a BIM-Based Interoperable Toolkit for Efficient Renovation in Buildings: From BIM to Digital Twin. Buildings 2022 , 12 , 231. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Baghalzadeh Shishehgarkhaneh, M.; Keivani, A.; Moehler, R.C.; Jelodari, N.; Roshdi Laleh, S. Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Digital Twin (DT) in Construction Industry: A Review, Bibliometric, and Network Analysis. Buildings 2022 , 12 , 1503. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kaur, M.J.; Mishra, V.P.; Maheshwari, P. The Convergence of Digital Twin, IoT, and Machine Learning: Transforming Data into Action ; Springer: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; Available online: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-18732-3_1 (accessed on 14 May 2023).
• Schleich, B.; Anwer, N.; Mathieu, L.; Wartzack, S. Shaping the Digital Twin for Design and Production Engineering. CIRP Ann. 2017 , 66 , 141–144. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ Green Version ]
• Qi, Q.; Tao, F. Digital Twin and Big Data Towards Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0: 360 Degree Comparison. IEEE Access 2018 , 6 , 3585–3593. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Carlsén, A.; Elfstrand, O. Augmented Construction: Developing a Framework for Implementing Building Information Modeling through Augmented Reality at Construction Sites ; Semantic Scholar: Stockholm, Sweden, 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Gubbi, J.; Buyya, R.; Marusic, S.; Palaniswami, M. Internet of Things (IoT): A Vision, Architectural Elements, and Future Directions. Future Gener. Comput. Syst. 2013 , 29 , 1645–1660. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ Green Version ]
• Tang, S.; Shelden, D.R.; Eastman, C.M.; Pishdad-Bozorgi, P.; Gao, X. A Review of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) Devices Integration: Present Status and Future Trends. Autom. Constr. 2019 , 101 , 127–139. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Lee, D.; Cha, G.; Park, S. A Study on Data Visualization of Embedded Sensors for Building Energy Monitoring Using BIM. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 2016 , 17 , 807–814. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• IoT for All. ThoughtWire Blog. Digital Twins vs. Building Information Modeling (BIM). 2020. Available online: https://www.iotforall.com/digital-twin-vs-bim?ss360SearchTerm=Digital%20Twin (accessed on 16 August 2022).
• Rolle, R.; Martucci, V.; Godoy, E. Architecture for Digital Twin Implementation Focusing on Industry 4.0. IEEE Lat. Am. Trans. 2020 , 18 , 889–898. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kritzinger, W.; Karner, M.; Traar, G.; Henjes, J.; Sihn, W. Digital Twin in Manufacturing: A Categorical Literature Review and Classification. IFAC Pap. 2018 , 51 , 1016–1022. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Lavrentyeva, A.V.; Dzikia, A.A.; Kalinina, A.E.; Frolov, D.P.; Akhverdiev, E.A.; Barakova, A.S. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformations in the Society. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2019 , 483 , 012019. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ Green Version ]

Click here to enlarge figure

Share and Cite

Nguyen, T.D.; Adhikari, S. The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review. Sustainability 2023 , 15 , 10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

Nguyen TD, Adhikari S. The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review. Sustainability . 2023; 15(13):10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

Nguyen, Tran Duong, and Sanjeev Adhikari. 2023. "The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review" Sustainability 15, no. 13: 10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106291
• Corpus ID: 270680448

Preregistration nursing students' motivation for speaking up for patient safety: An integrated literature review.

• Samantha A. Walsh , Sandra B Walker , Lisa A. Wirihana
• Published in Nurse Education Today 1 June 2024
• Education, Medicine

80 References

Suitable, fit, competent and safe to practice nursing assessing nursing students' personal qualities in clinical placement-an integrative review., course transformation to enhance student learning in undergraduate nursing course, the impact of simulation on undergraduate nursing students’ confidence and learning satisfaction over time and practice: a pretest, post-test study design, speaking up about patient safety concerns: view of nursing students, patient safety and its relationship with specific self-efficacy, competence, and resilience among nursing students: a quantitative study., a qualitative exploration of undergraduate nursing students' experience of emotional safety for learning during their clinical practice., impact of the nurse-related information through social media use on undergraduate nursing students' professional identity in nursing: a mixed-methods study., levels of motivation and basic psychological need satisfaction in nursing students: in perspective of self-determination theory., first-year nursing students’ initial contact with the clinical learning environment: impacts on their empathy levels and perceptions of professional identity, belongingness in undergraduate/pre-licensure nursing students in the clinical learning environment: a scoping review., related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers