Some research provided robust analyses of the affected population s ’ health inequities and demonstrated how a task shifting intervention redressed those concerns .
Introduction Task shifting interventions have been implemented to improve health and address health inequities .
Little is known about how inequity and vulnerability are defined and measured in research on task shifting .
We conducted a systematic review to identify how inequity and vulnerability are identified , defined and measured in  task shifting research from high-income countries .
Defining and measuring health equity effects in research on task shifting interventions in high-income countries: a systematic review protocol
Introduction Task shifting interventions are intended to both deliver clinical ly effective treatments to reduce disease burden and address health inequities or population vulnerability . Little is known about how health equity and population vulnerability are defined and measured in research focused on task shifting . This systematic review will address the following questions : Among  task shifting interventions in high-income setting s that have been studied using r and omised controlled trials or variants , how are health inequity or population vulnerability identified and defined ? What methods and indicators are used to describe , characterise and measure the population ’s baseline status and the intervention ’s impacts on inequity and vulnerability ? Methods and analysis Studies were identified through data base search es ( MEDLINE , Embase , CINAHL , PsycINFO and Web of Science ) . Eligible studies will be r and omised controlled trials published since 2004 , conducted in high-income countries , concerning task shifting interventions to treat any disease , in any population that may face health disadvantage as defined by the PROGRESS-Plus framework ( place of residence , race/ethnicity/culture/ language , occupation , gender/sex , religion , social capital , socioeconomic position , age , disability , sexual orientation , other vulnerable groups ) . We will conduct independent and duplicate title and abstract screening , then identify related papers from the same programme of research through further data base and manual search ing . From each programme of research , we will extract study details , and definitions and measures of health equity or population vulnerability based on the PROGRESS-Plus framework . Two investigators will assess the quality of reporting and measurement related to health equity and vulnerability using a scale developed for this study . A narrative synthesis will highlight similarities and differences between the gathered studies and offer critical analyses and implication s. Ethics and dissemination This review does not involve primary data collection , does not constitute research on human subjects and is not subject to additional institutional ethics review or informed consent procedures . Dissemination will include open-access peer- review ed publication and academic conference presentations . PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42017049959
Some research provided robust analyses of the affected population s ’ health inequities and demonstrated how a task shifting intervention redressed those concerns .
Introduction Task shifting interventions have been implemented to improve health and address health inequities .
Little is known about how inequity and vulnerability are defined and measured in research on task shifting .
We conducted a systematic review to identify how inequity and vulnerability are identified , defined and measured in  task shifting research from high-income countries .