Shining light on Vitamin C Deficiency and Scurvy in Canada: A Scoping Review Protocol of Risk Profiles, Health Outcomes, and Interventions

Scurvy, resulting from vitamin C deficiency, is linked to serious health outcomes, including impaired collagen synthesis, anemia, and delayed wound healing. Once considered largely eradicated in high-income countries, scurvy has re-emerged among specific Canadian populations, driven by factors such as inadequate dietary intake, socioeconomic disparities, and limited access to nutritious foods. Despite growing awareness, evidence regarding its prevalence, risk factors, and public health responses in Canada remains sparse and fragmented. To address this knowledge gap, this study protocol outlines a scoping review designed to: (a) assess the prevalence and incidence of scurvy and vitamin C deficiency in Canada; (b) identify at-risk populations and contributing factors; (c) describe associated health outcomes; and (d) map existing nutritional interventions and public health strategies for prevention and management.

Our review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis (Chapter 11: Scoping review) and the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework. Keywords will be identified and used to develop search strings used for a comprehensive search of various databases. The review will adhere to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Our study selection process will systematically screen titles/abstracts and full texts of potentially relevant articles to ensure a comprehensive analysis through thematic analysis. We will implement a clearly defined extraction process to gather the most pertinent articles, maximizing the quality and impact of our research. Ethical approval is not required because this study will review publicly available data and will not involve human participants.

Our scoping review will synthesize evidence on scurvy and vitamin C deficiency in Canada, identifying knowledge gaps, contributing factors such as food insecurity, and vulnerable populations. Findings will inform research priorities, guide public health policies, and support targeted interventions to prevent deficiency and enhance nutritional health for Canadians.