Nursing self-care interventions for older adults with chronic diseases: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This chapter presents the protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of nursing self-care interventions for older adults living with chronic diseases. The review will be conducted in line with PRISMA 2020 recommendations and will follow a predefined methodology, including a comprehensive search strategy across major bibliographic databases and relevant grey literature sources. Eligible studies will include randomised controlled trials and, where appropriate, other comparative quantitative designs assessing nursing-led or nursing-relevant interventions intended to improve self-care behaviours, self-efficacy, symptom management, adherence, health-related quality of life, and clinical outcomes in older populations with chronic conditions. Two reviewers will independently perform study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment using validated tools suited to study design. When studies are sufficiently comparable, meta-analysis will be undertaken using appropriate effect measures; otherwise, findings will be synthesised narratively. This protocol aims to enhance transparency and reproducibility, and to provide robust evidence to inform the design and implementation of effective nursing interventions that strengthen self-care in older adults with chronic disease.