Background: Medicalization has been a topic of discussion and research for over four decades. It is a known concept to researchers from a broad range of disciplines. Medicalization appears to be a concept that speaks to all, suggesting a shared understanding of what it constitutes. However, conceptually, the definition of medicalization has evolved over time. It is unknown how the concept is applied in empirical research, therefore following research question was answered: How is medicalization defined in empirical research and how do the definitions differ from each other? Methods: We performed a scoping review on the empirical research on medicalization. The 5 steps of a scoping review were followed: (1) Identifying the research question; (2) Identifying relevant studies; (3) Inclusion and exclusion criteria; (4) Charting the data; and (5) Collating, summarizing and reporting the results. The screening of 3027 papers resulted in the inclusion of 50 empirical studies in the review. Results: The application of the concept of medicalization within empirical studies proved quite diverse. The used conceptual definitions could be divided into 10 categories, which differed from each other subtly though importantly. The ten categories could be placed in a framework, containing two axes. The one axe represents a continuum from value neutral definitions to value laden definitions. The other axe represents a continuum from a micro to a macro perspective on medicalization. Conclusion: This review shows that empirical research on medicalization is quite heterogeneous in its definition of the concept. This reveals the richness and complexity of medicalization, once more, but also hinders the comparability of studies. Future empirical research should pay more attention to the choice made with regard to the definition of medialization and its applicability to the context of the study.

Background: Health promotion within higher education institutions is gaining increasing global attention, particularly in response to the growing health challenges faced by adolescents and young adults. This demographic often experiences a convergence of health-related issues, including poor dietary practices, substance use, mental health disorders, and obesity. These issues frequently interact in complex ways, influencing long-term health trajectories. This scoping review aimed to examine the breadth of strategies and research concerning health-promoting initiatives across universities worldwide, while identifying existing gaps in the literature. Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted for peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2024 using the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. After screening and eligibility assessment, 272 articles were included in the final review. Results: Thematically, 19% of studies focused on health-related policies and frameworks, 19% on mental health and wellness, 16% on technology-assisted interventions, 14% on physical activity, 7% on nutrition, 6% on behavioral habits, and others addressed curriculum restructuring. Conclusion: Findings reveal that most interventions remain in preliminary stages of implementation, with limited follow-up studies evaluating their effectiveness or cost-efficiency. There is a pressing need for robust, longitudinal research to assess outcomes, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Furthermore, regional disparities—especially the limited representation from Sub-Saharan Africa—underscore the necessity for inclusive, globally coordinated research networks to foster equitable health promotion across diverse educational settings.

Background. Risky driving behaviors increase the risk of injury and death due to crash. Vast strata of behaviors are considered as risky behavior in the literature. The aim of this scoping review was to extract and determine various behaviors tagged as risky driving behavior. Methods. Based on Arkesy and OMalley framework, a scoping review study was conducted. Literature search was done through PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Snowballing of references and hand search of related journals were also used. Time limitation for search was defined from 1st January 2000 to 30th December 2019. Screening process was done independently by two researchers. Data was systematically extracted from the included articles using a predetermined extraction table. Results. Literature review resulted in 3761 articles. After the screening process, 45 articles were included in the study. Majority of included articles were from United States (n=13), followed by Iran (n=5), Australia (n=4) and China (n=4). Speeding (reported in 70% of included studies), drunk driving (52%), aggressive driving (44%), tailgating (41%) and not-using seat belt (37%) were the most frequent behaviors tagged as risky driving behaviors in the included studies. Conclusion. Regarding the discrepancies in understanding, definition, and categories of risky driving behaviors, it is of great importance to develop a unified standard definition and categorize risky behaviors which would facilitate global movements to reduce risky driving behaviors through effective interventions. Practical Implications. The results will guide the policymakers to clearly develop suitable policies in national, regional or local levels to prevent and reduce the negative results of risky driving behaviours.

Background: This scoping review explores the key demographic and psychosocial factors impacting organ donation, with a focus on studies utilizing online or digital platforms. We aimed to understand the existing facts that influence to effects of the organ donation decision. Methods: This review followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline was conducted using MeSH terms and logical operators to identify relevant studies published in English 2018 to 2023. Studies focusing on the demographics and influencing factors for organ donors of any age were included. Abstract concepts, conference proceedings, and non-English studies were excluded. Data extraction and quality assessment were independently conducted by two reviewers using standardized tools, including the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Results: Out of 270 records identified, 9 studies met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis of results revealed three major themes: 1) demographic characteristics of organ donors, 2) psychosocial and digital factors influencing organ donation, and 3) interventions promoting awareness and engagement in organ donation. Online and digital platforms play a significant role in shaping attitudes, intentions, and awareness of organ donation. Quality assessment indicated a moderate-to-high level of methodological rigor across the included studies. Conclusion: This review highlights the key factors influencing organ donation, particularly the role of digital platforms in enhancing awareness and engagement. Future research should focus on leveraging these insights to develop targeted interventions aimed at increasing organ donation rates globally.