Health Implications of Head Portering in Female Head Porters: A Scoping Review Protocol

ObjectiveThis scoping review protocol outlines the steps to conduct a scoping review to assess the health experiences of female head porters and their unique health challenges and needs. The review aims to broaden our understanding of the occupational health challenges facing head porters in sub-Saharan Africa and identify any gaps in the health literature related to this population. IntroductionHead portering is an informal occupation predominantly undertaken by women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Female head porters often lack education and skills, which makes head portering an appealing yet laborious occupation to improve income and associated social conditions and support families left behind. Inclusion criteriaStudies were included in the review if they included females of all ages engaging in head-portering activities as a livelihood in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods and AnalysisThe six stages of the Arksey and OMalley (2005) framework guided the design and reporting of this scoping review. The methodology adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews. Relevant articles and grey literature were identified through searches of health-related databases. The extracted data will be presented using a narrative summary to complement a data table. Ethics and disseminationThe ethical approval submission for this scoping review protocol was not completed as it is not required. Formal knowledge translation and dissemination activities will include publishing findings in African-based high-impact journals and conference presentations to reach relevant audiences. The final recommendations for practice, policy, and research will be shared and distributed through toolkits for healthcare professionals and stakeholder information leaflets. RegistrationThe review has been registered with Open Science Framework Registries: https://osf.io/c3q7as Strengths and LimitationsThis scoping review explores the literature on the health implications of head portering among female head porters, encompassing a broad range of studies and evidence. It aims to identify research gaps, highlight key health concerns requiring further investigation, and serve as a foundation for future reviews and primary studies. However, this review does not include a formal quality assessment of the included studies, which may impact the reliability of the findings. Due to its broad scope, detailed analyses of specific health issues may be limited. Additionally, the risk of selection and interpretation bias may constrain the depth of analytic synthesis, reducing its applicability for precise policy and practice recommendations.