Implementation strategies used in clinical practice guidelines in older adults’ mental health and neurocognitive conditions: a scoping review

Caring for older adults with mental health conditions including neurocognitive conditions is complex. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are intended to improve care for such conditions in older adults. This scoping review sought to systematically identify, synthesize, map evidence and identify the gaps in implementation strategies used in the implementation of CPGs for mental health conditions in older adults including neurocognitive conditions. This scoping review was conducted using the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis methods for scoping reviews. Six research databases (Ageline, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsycINFO, JBI EBP) and grey literature were searched. Inclusion criteria for the articles were adults 65 and older and focused on older adults mental health and neurocognitive conditions. Strategies to the implementation of CPGs were categorized using the Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) framework. A total of three articles were identified in this scoping review. Reported implementation strategies were tailored to providers, were educational, and interdisciplinary collaboration. CPGs length, perceived weakness of evidence, and providers’ perception of relevance to patients were noted as challenges to implementing CPGs. Our search results demonstrated a paucity of literature with only three peer reviewed studies located. Despite the limited available literature, this review contributes to guideline to practice gap literature by synthesizing and identifying potentially effective implementation strategies. We make recommendations about how to potentially improve adherence to clinical practice guidelines that could be implemented by researchers, healthcare providers, and health systems policy decision makers to improve our healthcare systems.