Background Communication skills are essential for health professionals to establish a positive relationship with their patients, improving their health and quality of life. In this perspective, communication skills training can be effective strategies to improve the care provided by professionals in patient care and the quality of health services. Objective To identify the best available evidence on training programs in communication skills to promote changes in attitude and behavior or self-efficacy of health professionals. Methods Systematic searches were performed in eight databases, evaluating Randomized Controlled Trials and quasi-experimental studies with a control group, focusing on training communication skills for health professionals, who assessed self-efficacy or behaviors related to these skills. The phases of study selection and data extraction were carried out by two independent researchers, and the conflicts were resolved by a third. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane method. Results Eight studies were included in the review. Most programs lasted between 4½ h and 2 days, involved information about communication skills and the content was applied to the health professionals’ context. Several teaching strategies were used, such as lectures, videos and dramatizations and the evaluation was carried out using different instruments. Improvements in the performance and in the self-efficacy of communication skills were observed in the trained groups. The RCT had a low risk of bias and the quasi-experimental studies had a moderate risk. Conclusion Training in communication skills can improve the performance and self-efficacy of health professionals. Programs that approach the conceptual issues and promote the space for experiential learning could be effective in communication skills training for professionals. PROSPERO: CRD42019129384

The school is a favorable environment for the development of interventions to prevent obesity. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effects of school-based food and nutrition education interventions on adolescent food consumption. The literature search was conducted on databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ERIC, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane, LILACS, and ADOLEC. The following research strategies were focused on: population (adolescents), intervention (food and nutrition education), outcome (food consumption), and study design (clinical trial). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines were followed and all stages of this review were performed by two researchers and, when necessary, a third researcher resolved discrepancies. Included studies are randomized clinical trials (RCT). A total of 24 articles were included for review and 11 articles in meta-analysis. In the evaluation of the general effects, there was a significant effect (mean difference (MD) for fruit consumption (MD = 0.09, CI 0.05, 0.14) in serving/day; and for vegetables (MD = 0.59, IC 0.15, 1.03) at times/week. In the consumption of FV (fruits and vegetables), there was no significant effect (standardized mean difference (SMD) of interventions in their consumption (SMD = 0.00, 95% C1 −0.11, 0.11). The evidence available in this review and meta-analysis concludes that food and nutrition education interventions in schools presented favorable results in the food consumption of adolescents. Registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42019116520).

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Background:Patient-centered care should be the focus of health services, where improvements in the communication skills of health professionals promote excellent health and quality care. Thus, this study is a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs in communication skills to promote self-efficacy in the communication of health personnel.Methods:This systematic review protocol is conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) statement guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The review should include studies carried out with health professionals who have undergone training in communication skills aimed at promoting their self-efficacy. Clinical trials (randomized, non-randomized), community trials, and quasi-experimental studies should be included. Therefore, the comprehensive search strategy will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two independent reviewers will conduct all study selection procedures, data extraction, and methodological evaluation, and disagreements will be referred to a third reviewer. RevMan 5.3 software will be used to gather data and perform the meta-analysis if possible.Results:This systematic review will provide evidence on more effective programs for communication skills training and will consider information such as duration, educational strategies, assessment measures, and outcomes that promote health worker self-efficacy.Discussion:This systematic review should provide evidence for effective communication skills training for health professionals in order to guide new strategies for quality care.Dissemination and ethics:The findings of this scoping review will be disseminated in print, at conferences, or via peer-reviewed journals. Ethical approval is not necessary as this paper does not involve patient data.Systematic review registration:PROSPERO CRD42019129384.

Background: The pandemic following the rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has hit all continents and caused thousands of deaths worldwide. Evidence has been published on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of population groups considered at risk; however, information for the other population groups, especially for the child population, is needed. In this context, this protocol describes a systematic review that will aim to identify the evidence on control and prevention of COVID-19 transmission among children and adolescents, as well as to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical and immunological characteristics of COVID-19 in this population. Methods: This protocol will be developed in accordance with PRISMA-P. The searches will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, and Scopus, seeking clinical trials. Observational studies and case reports with Children and adolescents (≤19 years) infected with SARS-CoV-2 will be included whether they report information on the control of prevention and COVID-19 transmission. Two independent researchers will perform the selection of articles, removal of duplication, and screening by Rayyan QCRI application. Cochrane's RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I, and CASP tools will be used to assess the risk of bias. Meta-analysis, subgroup analyses, and/or descriptive analyses will be carried out based on the data conditions included. Results: A high-quality synthesis of the available evidences on the epidemiological profile, the clinical and immunological characteristics involved in children, and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as the participation of this population in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 will be provided. Conclusion: This systematic review has an important relevance in the current context because it has a great potential to help the development of new control and prevention strategies in the pediatric population. Record of systematic review: CRD42020179263.

Background: Good communication strategies are essential in times of crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic. The dissemination of inaccurate information and the need for social isolation to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have shown a negative impact on the population, causing damage to mental health, with the appearance or worsening of symptoms of stress, fear, anxiety, and depression. Thus, the systematic review study is intended to gather evidence on the impact of information about COVID-19 on the mental health of the population. Methods: This systematic review protocol is conducted using the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocols and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The review aims to include published studies that address the exposure of the general population to information about COVID-19, through observational and experimental studies, which consider the following outcomes: fear, stress, anxiety, and depression. Thus, a comprehensive research strategy will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed / Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two independent reviewers will perform all procedures, such as study selection, data collection, and methodological evaluation. Disagreements will be forwarded to a third reviewer. RevMan 5.3 software will be used for data analysis. Results: This systematic review will provide evidence of the influence of access to and consumption of media and scientific information about COVID-19 on the mental health of the population. It will consider information about the characterization of the study and the population studied, clinical and epidemiological information on mental health, and data on access to and consumption of media and scientific information. Discussion: The results should inform about the consequences of communication about the new coronavirus on the emergence or worsening of psychological and psychiatric symptoms, allowing to develop strategies to achieve effective communication of information to promote the mental health of the population. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42020182918

Background: The Corona Virus Disease, 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic revealed many social disparities that already exist in countries that have social inequalities in their historical context. Studies have already been published on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of population groups considered to be at risk where they reveal that Black people are at greater risk of becoming ill and dying from this cause. In this context, this protocol describes a systematic review that aims to analyze the association of race as the higher risk for illness and death due to COVID-19. Methods: This protocol will be developed based on the recommendations of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-P). For this, we will conduct searches in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Lilacs, and ScienceDirect databases in the search for cross-sectional studies. All cross-sectional studies that analyzed hospitalization and death by COVID-19 as race in its determinant will be included. The search will be carried out by 2 independent researchers who will carry out the selection of articles, then the duplicate studies will be removed and screened using the Rayyan QCRI application. To assess the risk of bias, the instrument proposed by Downs and Black will be used. Meta-analyzes and subgroup analyzes will be carried out according to included data conditions. Results: Based on this review, it will be possible to carry out a high-quality synthesis of available evidence that brings race as a factor for illness and death by COVID-19 and to verify which race is most affected by this disease. Conclusion: The relevance of this systematic review to the current context is considered, as it has a high potential to assist in the development of public health strategies and policies that address existing racial differences. Record of systematic review: CRD42020208767.

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