A scoping review of peer support groups to support recovery in critically ill patients

Review Title: A scoping review of literature on peer support groups to support recovery in critically ill patients Review objectives: To systematically review the literature on the types, characteristics, implementation, and impact of peer support groups used to support the recovery of survivors of critical illness. Abstract: Healthcare is shifting toward patient-centered care, empowering patients by emphasizing shared decision-making and personalized treatment. Within this framework, peer support groups (PSGs) are one way to help patients take charge of their own health and recovery. PSGs offer emotional, social, and practical support to individuals who have had similar experiences, fostering empowerment and mutual learning. The first strength of PSGs is their capacity to promote self-management and to enhance treatment adherence. By building a network of patients, these groups help decrease disparities and improve system responsiveness. In critical care settings, PSGs play a crucial role in delivering care. PSGs are essential because patients and their families experience prolonged uncertainty, emotional distress, and difficulty in protracted recovery associated with chronic critical illness. PSGs can help by providing people with shared experiences, practical ways to deal with problems, and emotional support, which are often difficult to obtain during regular clinical visits. While the existing literature suggests that PSGs may promote more sympathetic, family-centered methodologies among care teams, the degree and uniformity of such influence remain unclear. Rather than making definitive claims about institutional change, it is more appropriate to state that PSGs have the potential to support patient-centered practices. Given these gaps, a scoping review is needed to systematically map how PSGs are designed, delivered, and evaluated in critical care. Such a review will help clarify their mechanisms of benefit, identify where evidence is strong or lacking, and inform future implementation efforts in this population. This review aims to fill that gap by synthesizing the evidence on peer support groups used in the care critically ill patients, with a focus on their implementation and impact on patient-reported outcomes, psychological well-being, healthcare utilization, and care quality Language of the Review: English Review Question: 1. What types of peer support groups are used for the care of critically ill patients? 2. What are the barriers and facilitators to the use of peer support groups in the care of critically ill patients? 3. What impact do peer support groups have on patient-reported outcome measures in survivors of critical illness? Searches: Standard search will be done using databases like Medline, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Grey Literature, and studies will be evaluated for relevance if pertinent information is discovered Search terms: Search terms will include all possible combinations of "Peer Group", "Social Support", "Self-Help Groups", "Peer support", “Patient-to-patient”, “peer mentoring”, “reciprocal support”and "Intensive care unit," "Critical care", etc, tailored for each database to be used Time period: January 2010 to October 2025 Language restrictions: English only Condition or Domain Being Studied: Peer Support Groups in Critical Care Participants/Population: Inclusion: The recipients and providers of peer support are adults aged 18 years or older who have experienced critical illness or been admitted to an intensive care or high-acuity setting (e.g., ICU, HDU, ICU step-down units) Exclusion: The recipients and providers of peer support are aged below 18 years or patients who have not experienced a critical illness or not been admitted to an intensive care or high-acuity setting (e.g., ICU, HDU, ICU step-down units). Intervention(s), Exposure(s): Peer support groups Comparator(s)/Control: Not applicable Types of Study to be Included: Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, RCTs, cohort studies, and implementation reports with primary data, case series, case reports, protocols, editorials, conference abstracts, and secondary data analysis are to be included. Context: Any form of peer support, including peer mentorship, peer support groups, online peer support forums, structured peer counseling programs, delivered during ICU stay or after discharge (in wards, clinics, rehab programs, or community). Outcomes: Primary Outcome(s): Patient-reported outcomes, psychological well-being, quality of life, hospital readmission rates, and feasibility of peer support models as intervention. Secondary Outcome(s): NA Data Extraction: Two independent reviewers will use a standardized extraction form to extract data. Data items to be extracted and documented are study characteristics, participant demographics, intervention details, outcomes, and key findings. Any difference between reviewers will be resolved through a discussion or through consultation with a third reviewer. Data management will be done using Mendeley for references and Covidence for screening and extraction. Data to be extracted: study design Author and year details, type of study, country/region of study conducted, Data to be extracted: intervention of interest Characteristics of peer support interventions, feasibility of peer support interventions Data to be extracted: primary outcome(s) psychological well-being, quality of life, barriers and facilitators to the implementation of peer support interventions Risk of Bias (Quality) Assessment: Tools to be used: The JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) critical appraisal tool will be used for different types of studies. Each study will be assessed independently by two reviewers, with discrepancies resolved through discussion. Strategy for Data Synthesis: Planned approach A comprehensive narrative synthesis will be conducted to summarize findings across all recruited studies Analysis of subgroups or subsets: Subgroup analyses - None planned Sensitivity - NA Publication bias - NA Type and Method of Review: Scoping review Language: English Country: India Dissemination Plans: Peer-reviewed publication in community engagement journals; Guide the design of a new peer support intervention at our institution Keywords: Peer support groups; Intensive care units ICUs; post-ICU recovery clinics Any Additional Information: This review will follow PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. The protocol has been developed following PRISMA-P guidelines for systematic review protocols.

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