Digital Psychosocial Follow-up for Survivors of Childhood Critical Illness: Protocol for a Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Background: The aim of this systematic literature review is to explore a selection of existing digital solutions for psychosocial follow-up for children who survived a critical illness with research questions based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) model. Methods: A five-stage iterative process for systematic literature review in software engineering guided by Kitchenham will be used. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses will guide the reporting of the review. The abstract and indexing database Scopus will be used with a search strategy based on the PICO model. The records will be managed in the software EndNote and selected by eligibility criteria based on the PICO and Study design framework. This framework is also used for extraction in the data collection process. The included studies will be assessed for risk of bias with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and synthesized qualitatively by Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis framework and quantitatively with meta-analysis when possible. The meta-analysis will calculate the effect measures using forest plots based on the method of DerSimonian and Laird. Heterogeneity is explored with meta-regression. The robustness of the meta-analysis is assessed with sensitivity meta-analyses, and the risk of bias due to missing results in synthesis is assessed with funnel plots. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach evaluates the certainty of the evidence of the review. Discussion: This review will inform about the existing digital psychosocial follow-ups for survivors of childhood critical illness, which can lead to improved solutions and life quality for this group. Registration: The review is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database with registration number CRD42022364703.