Health professionals' involvement in volunteering their professional skills: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Volunteering positively affects overall health of both volunteers and recipients through social interaction, support and physical activity. Health professionals' volunteering has considerable potential to improve health outcomes in communities.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to summarize published scientific literature regarding volunteering by health professionals.

METHOD: Medine, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO and CINAHLdatabases were searched to identify eligible studies published between 2010 and 2023. Data on study methods and findings were extracted and synthesized.

RESULTS: Of the 144 eligible studies, 80 (56%) used quantitative methods, 46 (32%) used qualitative, 18 (12%) used mixed methods and 8 (6%) were interventional. Doctors (74 studies, 51%) and nurses ( n  = 40, 28%) were the professions with most reports of volunteering. Half the studies were from USA ( n  = 77, 53%), followed by UK ( n  = 19, 13%), Canada ( n  = 12, 8%), and Australia/New Zealand ( n  = 11, 8%). International volunteering in low-to-middle-income countries was reported in 64 studies (44%). Providing service and training were the dominant types of activities ( n  = 90, 62.5%), with health promotion reported in only 4 studies (3%). Studies reported positive impact from volunteering, both professionally and personally. Time and family commitments were the main barriers. Enablers, barriers and impact were summarized in a socio-ecological map.

CONCLUSION: Health professionals volunteer in diverse activities and report multifaceted benefits. Studies of volunteering interventions could enable new, sustainable approaches to health promotion.