Online information seeking behaviour and health outcomes among patients with hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia (the 'three highs'): a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION

Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia are collectively referred to as ‘three highs’ in China. They act independently and synergistically, significantly contributing to cardiovascular disease and mortality. Many patients with the ‘three highs’ lack awareness of their conditions and risk factors, leading to poor self-management and underuse of healthcare. Online information seeking (OIS) behaviour may improve patients’ health literacy, promote early diagnosis, treatment and behavioural improvements, thus controlling the onset and progression of the ‘three highs’. To date, no review has synthesised the relationship between OIS behaviour and health outcomes in these patients. This scoping review will systematically examine the relationship between OIS behaviour and health outcomes in patients with the ‘three highs’ for the first time, encompassing three major dimensions: physiological health, behavioural health and mortality risk.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: According to the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and enhanced by Levac et al, systematic searches will be conducted across five electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO and the Cochrane Library) as well as grey literature. The searches will cover database inception to 20 September 2026. Data will be charted and extracted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews. The findings of the study will be presented through narrative analysis, tables and figures.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This scoping review is based on published and publicly available data. Therefore, ethics approval is not required. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, public engagement activities and a plain-language summary for patient and public audiences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The scoping review protocol has been registered in the Open Science Framework on 19 November 2025: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KXR9W.