Elements of social accountability in undergraduate health sciences curricula: A scoping review.

Background: Social accountability represents the social contract between medicine and society, encouraging healthcare professionals (HCPs) to address social and health-related issues. The importance of integrating social accountability into curricula is widely recognised, but there is a lack of comp...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:South African Journal of Physiotherapy Vol. 82; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15
Autores principales: Sujee, Laeeqa, Naidoo, Vaneshveri, Myezwa, Hellen
Formato: research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: African Online Scientific Information System PTY LTD 2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=193531244&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 193531244
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        03796175
        GO5
      jtl: South African Journal of Physiotherapy
      issn: 03796175
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: 2026
      vid: 82
      iid: 1
      pid: 56831
      pub: African Online Scientific Information System PTY LTD
      place: , <Blank>
    artinfo:
      ui:
        193531244
        193531244
        193531244
        10.4102/sajp.v82i1.2269
        193531244
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 14
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Elements of social accountability in undergraduate health sciences curricula: A scoping review.
      aug:
        au:
          Sujee, Laeeqa
          Naidoo, Vaneshveri
          Myezwa, Hellen
        affil: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
      sug:
        subj:
          Curriculum
          Social Responsibility
          Education, Health Sciences
          Human
          Scoping Review
          Study Design
          Data Analysis Software
          Narratives
          Descriptive Statistics
          Equality
          Cost Effectiveness Analysis
          Financial Management
          Personnel Staffing and Scheduling
          Budgets
          Creativeness
          Caregivers Education
          Rehabilitation Methods
          Consumer Participation
          Health Priorities
          Needs Assessment
          Health Promotion
          Politics
          Medically Underserved
          Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
          Quality Improvement
          Clinical Competence
          Cultural Competence
          Professional Development
          Patient Centered Care
          Professional Practice, Evidence-Based
          Collaboration
          Public Policy
          Social Justice
          Patient Advocacy
          Teamwork
          Leadership
          Learning Methods
          Honesty
          Experiential Learning
          Knowledge
          Implicit Bias
          Professional Identity
      ab: Background: Social accountability represents the social contract between medicine and society, encouraging healthcare professionals (HCPs) to address social and health-related issues. The importance of integrating social accountability into curricula is widely recognised, but there is a lack of comprehensive mapping of the specific elements that should be included. Objectives: To identify the key elements of social accountability that should be integrated into undergraduate health sciences curricula to develop socially accountable HCPs. Method: The scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual 2015 for scoping reviews. A comprehensive search was employed using various keyword combinations and search strings, inclusive of published and grey literature from the past 15 years. Studies were systematically charted and analysed. Results: A rigorous screening process resulted in 47 studies being included in the review. Majority of the studies were qualitative, with the highest number of studies originating from Canada, South Africa, and the United States, as well as several multi-country studies. Equity emerged as the most frequently mentioned value, while cost-effectiveness was discussed the least. Conclusion: The scoping review demonstrates that embedding equity-driven approaches, community engagement, interprofessional collaboration and transformative learning in healthcare systems and tertiary institutions is vital. Addressing these priorities through undergraduate health sciences training can foster more inclusive, responsive and effective healthcare delivery, and improve health outcomes. Clinical implications: Integrating the identified elements of social accountability into undergraduate health sciences curricula may lead to improved patient outcomes, reduced health disparities, and more effective, patient-centred care.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N