Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol

Abstract Background Whether due to aging, disability, injury, or other circumstances, an increasing number of Canadians experience functional limitations that reduce their ability to participate in activities of daily life. While the built environment has become increasingly accessible, existing Can...

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Main Authors: Brad W. R. Roberts, Abdulrahman Al Bochi, Mark Weiler, Yashoda Sharma, Cesar Marquez-Chin, Steven Pong, Jessica Babineau, Waqas Sajid, Tilak Dutta, Albert H. Vette
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-12-01
Series:Systematic Reviews
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01844-w
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author Brad W. R. Roberts
Abdulrahman Al Bochi
Mark Weiler
Yashoda Sharma
Cesar Marquez-Chin
Steven Pong
Jessica Babineau
Waqas Sajid
Tilak Dutta
Albert H. Vette
author_facet Brad W. R. Roberts
Abdulrahman Al Bochi
Mark Weiler
Yashoda Sharma
Cesar Marquez-Chin
Steven Pong
Jessica Babineau
Waqas Sajid
Tilak Dutta
Albert H. Vette
author_sort Brad W. R. Roberts
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Whether due to aging, disability, injury, or other circumstances, an increasing number of Canadians experience functional limitations that reduce their ability to participate in activities of daily life. While the built environment has become increasingly accessible, existing Canadian evacuation guidelines lack comprehensive strategies for evacuating individuals with functional limitations from buildings during emergencies. To inform guideline revisions, a map of existing solutions for evacuating such individuals is required. Therefore, this scoping review aims to provide an account of solutions that have been reported to safely evacuate individuals with functional limitations from the built environment. Methods We will conduct a scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework. To identify potentially relevant studies, comprehensive searches (from January 2002 onwards) of the CINAHL, Ei Compendex, Inspec, Embase, MEDLINE, KCI, RSCI, SciELO CI, Web of Science Collection, and Scopus databases will be performed. Using a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers will independently (1) classify identified studies as relevant, irrelevant, or maybe relevant by evaluating their titles and abstracts and (2) classify the relevant and maybe relevant studies as included or excluded by evaluating their full-text. From each included study, data on publication information, study purpose, methodological details, evacuation information, and outcomes will be extracted using a set of data extraction items. We will present a numerical summary of the key characteristics of the included studies. For each evacuation activity, reported evacuation solutions will be summarized, and citations provided for functional limitations that are targeted by a given evacuation solution. To inform Canadian evacuation guideline revisions, we will tabulate evacuation activities common to different types of buildings and emergencies. Discussion To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to identify the state and use of solutions for evacuating individuals with functional limitations from the built environment. Identifying solutions that enable all individuals to safely evacuate from different types of buildings will allow us to inform recommendations for the revision of evacuation guidelines in Canada and other jurisdictions. The findings of this scoping review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at relevant conferences, and made publicly available on the internet. Systematic review registration Open Science Framework: osf.io/jefgy
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spelling doaj.art-d53df17e87914199a421f897ed45ff2c2022-12-21T18:45:08ZengBMCSystematic Reviews2046-40532021-12-011011610.1186/s13643-021-01844-wEvacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocolBrad W. R. Roberts0Abdulrahman Al Bochi1Mark Weiler2Yashoda Sharma3Cesar Marquez-Chin4Steven Pong5Jessica Babineau6Waqas Sajid7Tilak Dutta8Albert H. Vette9Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Donadeo Innovation Centre for EngineeringKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkWilfrid Laurier UniversityKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkLibrary & Information Services, University Health NetworkKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkKITE – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health NetworkDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Donadeo Innovation Centre for EngineeringAbstract Background Whether due to aging, disability, injury, or other circumstances, an increasing number of Canadians experience functional limitations that reduce their ability to participate in activities of daily life. While the built environment has become increasingly accessible, existing Canadian evacuation guidelines lack comprehensive strategies for evacuating individuals with functional limitations from buildings during emergencies. To inform guideline revisions, a map of existing solutions for evacuating such individuals is required. Therefore, this scoping review aims to provide an account of solutions that have been reported to safely evacuate individuals with functional limitations from the built environment. Methods We will conduct a scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework. To identify potentially relevant studies, comprehensive searches (from January 2002 onwards) of the CINAHL, Ei Compendex, Inspec, Embase, MEDLINE, KCI, RSCI, SciELO CI, Web of Science Collection, and Scopus databases will be performed. Using a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers will independently (1) classify identified studies as relevant, irrelevant, or maybe relevant by evaluating their titles and abstracts and (2) classify the relevant and maybe relevant studies as included or excluded by evaluating their full-text. From each included study, data on publication information, study purpose, methodological details, evacuation information, and outcomes will be extracted using a set of data extraction items. We will present a numerical summary of the key characteristics of the included studies. For each evacuation activity, reported evacuation solutions will be summarized, and citations provided for functional limitations that are targeted by a given evacuation solution. To inform Canadian evacuation guideline revisions, we will tabulate evacuation activities common to different types of buildings and emergencies. Discussion To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to identify the state and use of solutions for evacuating individuals with functional limitations from the built environment. Identifying solutions that enable all individuals to safely evacuate from different types of buildings will allow us to inform recommendations for the revision of evacuation guidelines in Canada and other jurisdictions. The findings of this scoping review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at relevant conferences, and made publicly available on the internet. Systematic review registration Open Science Framework: osf.io/jefgyhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01844-wBuildingsBuilt environmentCanadaEgress solutionsEvacuation guidelinesEvacuation solutions
spellingShingle Brad W. R. Roberts
Abdulrahman Al Bochi
Mark Weiler
Yashoda Sharma
Cesar Marquez-Chin
Steven Pong
Jessica Babineau
Waqas Sajid
Tilak Dutta
Albert H. Vette
Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
Systematic Reviews
Buildings
Built environment
Canada
Egress solutions
Evacuation guidelines
Evacuation solutions
title Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
title_full Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
title_fullStr Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
title_full_unstemmed Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
title_short Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol
title_sort evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment a scoping review protocol
topic Buildings
Built environment
Canada
Egress solutions
Evacuation guidelines
Evacuation solutions
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01844-w
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