Self-harm among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionSelf-harm behaviour is commonly observed in adolescents and can serve as a potential warning sign for suicide. It is prevalent among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, with a median lifetime prevalence of 10.3%. The negative impacts of adolescent self-harm include poor educational performance, impaired physical functioning and unemployment. Despite its significance, there is limited knowledge and intervention programmes addressing self-harm in sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectiveThe proposed scoping review aims to identify and analyse the current literature on the types and factors associated with self-harm among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings will guide future systematic reviews and qualitative and quantitative studies that will help address the knowledge gap. Findings from this study will also inform strategies to address this critical issue.MethodsThis scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Studies on self-harm among adolescents between ages 10 and 19 years in any sub-Saharan African country done between 2000 and 2024 will be included. The literature search will be conducted across the following databases: Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), PubMed, African Journals Online and African Index Medicus (WHO). Additional relevant articles will be searched in grey literature databases such as Google Scholar, conference proceedings, PhD theses and dissertations. Two reviewers will conduct title and abstract screening as well as full-text screening, with any conflicts resolved by a third independent reviewer.Ethics and DisseminationEthics approval is not required for this scoping review protocol. The review process and findings will be shared with and informed by relevant knowledge users. The findings of this review will be shared globally through an open-access peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations. The results will provide new insights for future systematic reviews and both quantitative and qualitative studies. Additionally, they will inform policies and intervention programmes for self-harm among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.