A Scoping Review of Evidence of Non-Invasive Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Low-to-Middle Income Countries

Non-invasive point-of-care (POC) diagnostics ensure patient comfort and satisfaction as they involve little to no pain during sample collection. However, there is limited evidence regarding their availability in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, this scoping review provides current evidence on non-invasive POC diagnostics in LMICs. The principal investigator co-developed the search strategy with assistance from a subject specialist and an information specialist. The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, SCOPUS, EBSCOhost (including Medline and CINAHL), and ProQuest. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full-text articles based on the inclusion criteria. The full articles were charted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Data were extracted from the articles that met the inclusion criteria after full-text screening. The extracted data were then analyzed thematically to understand the findings comprehensively. A total of 1,198 articles were screened for eligibility, with 32 duplicates removed. Abstract screening was conducted for 1,166 articles, of which 73 were deemed eligible for full-article screening. Out of these 73 articles, 38 were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. Ultimately, 34 articles were included in the final analysis. The level of agreement after full-article screening was 89%, indicating almost perfect agreement. The identified themes were usage, accuracy, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, challenges, and limitations of non-invasive POC diagnostics, integration with mobile technology and artificial intelligence. Non-invasive POC diagnostics are useful, accurate, and sensitive in diagnosing diseases, screening, and monitoring conditions while ensuring patient comfort.