A Protocol for a Scoping Study of Economic and Data System Considerations for Climate Change and Pandemic Preparedness in Africa

Abstract

Abstract Background Africa’s changing climate heightens risk of disease outbreaks with impacts on vulnerable demographics already encumbered by health and socioeconomic burdens. Health preparedness policies to address disease outbreaks rely on integrated information systems and value-for-cost analysis to facilitate sound decision-making during a public health emergency. This rapid scoping review protocol describes the a priori objectives and methods to conduct a synthesis of the evidence on economic evaluation and data system capacity at the intersection of pandemic preparedness and climate change. Methods A search of six bibliographic databases will be conducted by a library information professional spanning the period 2010 – 2023, focused on literature published about pandemic preparedness in Africa in the context of climate change. Studies will be screened in a three-stage process by independent reviewers using Covidence software, with a proportion of excluded articles crosschecked by a reviewer not involved in screening. All articles included in the final study set will need to have a positive response to at least three out of four a priori screening questions. Data extraction will follow established frameworks for pandemic preparedness, a list of 14 target climate-sensitive infectious diseases with pandemic potential declared as Public Health Emergencies of International Concern and listed on the WHO’s R&D Blueprint Pathogens, and economic evaluation or data systems domains. Evidence synthesis will include article bibliometric analysis as well as thematic topic categorisation. Gap analysis will be conducted through topic mapping. Discussion This protocol lists the methods and analysis that will be followed to survey the literature on the linkages between climate change and pandemic preparedness relating to economic evaluation and data systems structures and needs.