Barriers and facilitators influencing access, uptake, retention, and effect of social prescribing interventions for people living with autoimmune diseases: a scoping review

To map the evidence on factors influencing access, uptake, retention, and effects of social prescribing for people living with autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases affect mental health and well-being, including loneliness, yet these aspects remain insufficiently addressed in routine care. Social prescribing offers a person-centred approach to care by linking individuals to nonclinical, community-based support; however, evidence on its access, uptake, retention, and effects in autoimmune populations is limited. A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to PRISMA-ScR. Studies involving adults (≥ 18 years) with autoimmune diseases were included. Eligible interventions involved referral to nonmedical, community-based support. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Cochrane Reviews were searched alongside grey literature. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted, and synthesised data. A total of 8670 records were identified; 914 were screened in full text and seven studies were included. Studies were conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland using qualitative, quantitative, and evaluation designs. Social prescribing was primarily delivered in primary care and community settings, with few hospital-based initiatives. Facilitators for social prescribing included clinical recognition, structured referral pathways, relational continuity, and tailored support. Barriers included stigma, biomedical focus in care, practical constraints, and limited organisational support. Relational continuity and care integration influenced engagement across all factors. This review found that access, uptake, retention, and effects of social prescribing in autoimmune populations are shaped more by how interventions are organised and delivered than by their specific content. Relational continuity, flexibility, and organisational support were central. Determinants of access and outcomes reflect broader systemic factors, highlighting the need for equitable access and stronger cross-sector coordination.