Implementation of the Health Promoting Universities initiative in Colombia: a scoping review

Abstract

Objective:

To map and analyze the available literature on Health Promoting Universities initiatives and health promotion activities in Colombian universities.

Method:

A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, with searches performed in PubMed, BIREME, and Scopus databases.

Results:

From 1575 initial records identified, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. The literature described various health promotion activities in Colombian universities, ranging from specific interventions to broader institutional initiatives. The review identified significant knowledge gaps regarding long-term outcomes and implementation frameworks specifically adapted to the Colombian context.

Conclusions:

The Colombian literature suggests that a systematic approach for health promotion in Colombian universities should involve continuous evaluation of health programs, interprofessional collaboration, stakeholder engagement from the university community, and strengthening of inter-university networks such as REDCUPS to promote best practice sharing. These strategies could potentially contribute to developing context-appropriate guidelines for Colombian universities.