Interventions for mental health and substance use in brain injury populations: systematic evidence map and review with interactive data visualization

Background Brain injury, mental health and substance use disorders are leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Despite high rates of comorbidity, it remains unclear how to best support individuals with concurrent brain injury and mental health or substance use problems. The objectives of this study were to: 1) conduct a systematic evidence mapping review on interventions for mental health and substance use in brain injury populations, and 2) develop an interactive user interface to visualize the findings. Methods Systematic evidence mapping methodology was used to identify and organize relevant research. PsycINFO, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL and CDSR), Web of Science Core Collection and CINAHL were searched. The AMSTAR-2 was used to evaluate methodological quality and all outcomes are reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Through an iterative prototyping design, the evidence map user interface was developed. Results Of the 76,199 records identified, 628 studies involving 815,295 participants with brain injury were included. Records were comprised of 381 impact evaluations, 161 systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses, 39 trial registry records, 43 study protocols and 4 clinical practice guidelines. Most AMSTAR-2 ratings fell within the critically low or low quality range. Cerebrovascular injuries, pharmacological interventions and studies examining depression were among the most researched topics. The development, features and applications of the interactive evidence map are described. Conclusions Several patterns across the evidence base emerged and evidence gaps were identified, informing priorities for future research. These findings can be used by clinicians to inform treatment planning and by researchers to guide priority areas for future investigations. Systematic Review Registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/P64MT