Mapping multicomponent delirium prevention interventions delivered in the community: a scoping review

Background Many adults develop delirium in the community, prior to hospital admission. Yet the pathways leading to delirium in this setting and strategies for its prevention remain poorly understood. This scoping review aims to map existing literature on delirium prevention for adults in community settings, identifying who is considered at risk and how preventive strategies have been developed and implemented outside of acute care settings. Methods Six online scientific databases were searched for original research written in English with no limits on date, with an objective to prevent delirium in adults (⩾18 years) in the community. Narrative synthesis was used to summarise study characteristics and outcomes. Delirium prevention components were analysed according to the “PINCHES ME Kindly” framework. Results Of 7,845 records, four articles met the inclusion criteria describing three interventions and populations. All studies targeted older people following hospitalisation and offered a hospital-based multicomponent delirium prevention intervention post-discharge, delivered by multidisciplinary teams daily or an outreach nurse over structured sessions. The interventions comprised four to nine components, tailored to participants’ physical and medical needs. Conclusions Evidence for delirium prevention in community settings remains limited and fragmented, with existing interventions appearing to be extensions of hospital based models without considering specific post-discharge or pre-admission risks. This may limit the potential for delirium prevention across the continuum of care.