Scoping review protocol will map PRECEDE–PROCEED applications since 2000

A study protocol published on 21 October 2026 outlines a planned scoping review of empirical applications of the PRECEDE–PROCEED model in health promotion and public health since 2000. The project is designed to map the extent, range and nature of the research literature rather than determine whether programs based on the model improve health. It will examine which populations, settings, health topics, study designs and components of the framework have been studied, with the review expected to cover research from a 25-year period.

The protocol describes PRECEDE–PROCEED as a comprehensive framework for designing, implementing and evaluating health promotion and public health programs aimed at improving individual and community health and quality of life. The authors identify a dispersed body of research on its application and set out a systematic process for locating and describing it. The planned scope includes qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods empirical studies.

Eligibility will be assessed using the Population–Concept–Context framework, which the authors selected to accommodate the descriptive nature of a scoping review. Information will be retrieved from five major electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and ProQuest. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full texts to determine which studies meet the eligibility criteria.

Data extraction will focus on the population involved, the PRECEDE–PROCEED phases applied, the context in which the model was used—including the setting and health topic—the study design and any reported outcomes. The research team will also chart the kinds of health promotion programs examined, their target populations and their geographical distribution. The synthesis will describe the specific phases and components of PRECEDE–PROCEED that have been applied across the included studies.

Reporting will adhere to the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews, known as PRISMA-ScR, and relevant guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Individual studies will not receive a formal quality appraisal, consistent with the standard approach specified for scoping reviews, although the protocol says the breadth of the evidence will be described. This distinction means that the review is intended to organize and characterize the literature, not rank individual studies or test program effectiveness.

The expected result is a descriptive synthesis showing patterns in how PRECEDE–PROCEED has been used. The authors state that the review may reveal areas of extensive application, areas with limited application and gaps in the literature, with the goal of informing future research and practical applications of the model. It also does not establish whether applications of the framework have improved health or quality of life.

The article instead sets out the methods and intended outputs of a 25-year evidence-mapping exercise designed to clarify the research landscape surrounding a framework used for health promotion and public health programming.

Subject of Research: A planned scoping review of empirical PRECEDE–PROCEED applications in health promotion and public health since 2000

Article Title: Protocol for a scoping review of empirical applications of the PRECEDE–PROCEED model in health promotion and public health since 2000

Article References: Ghaffari, M., Rakhshanderou, S., & Lael-Monfared, E. (2026). Protocol for a scoping review of empirical applications of the PRECEDE–PROCEED model in health promotion and public health since 2000. Health Research Policy and Systems. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-026-01545-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12961-026-01545-7

Keywords: PRECEDE–PROCEED, health promotion, public health, scoping review, study protocol, evidence mapping, program evaluation, PRISMA-ScR, empirical studies, descriptive synthesis, Protocol, scoping