Scoping review protocol to inform development of a model for integrating participatory approaches into population-based health needs assessment in High-Income Countries.

<ns3:p>Health Needs Assessments (HNAs) are pivotal in aligning health and social care services with the evolving needs of populations. Incorporating community perspectives in HNAs is recognised as a strategy to enhance their relevance and effectiveness. However, the methodologies employed to integrate these perspectives vary, especially in high-income countries (HICs). Understanding these methodologies is crucial to inform the development of a comprehensive model for community engagement in HNAs. This scoping review will identify and map methodologies employed in HICs to integrate community perspectives into HNAs, focusing on facilitators, challenges, and indicators of success associated with these approaches. Studies will include those published in English between 2015 and 2025 that have been conducted in high-income countries (HICs) and focus on methodologies for community involvement in HNAs. Eligible study designs will include observational studies, including methodologically qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies encompassing both published and grey literature. A systematic search will be conducted across PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar and other selected grey literature repositories. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts, and full texts; data will be extracted using a piloted charting form and will be analysed descriptively. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations at conferences, and engagements with community interest-holders involved in or planning HNAs.</ns3:p>