Table 2 Community engagement approaches as reported in included systematic reviews

HIV

Skevington et al., 2013, p1026 [20]

Participatory community intervention

Participatory learning approach to empower women and men to enhance control over their sexual and emotional relationships within the prevailing socio-cultural, economic and political context.

Peer groups divided by gender and age-band (young/old) work separately, then together intensively over 3–4 months to build sexual health knowledge and reflect on behavioural motivation. The community analyses factors that mutually affect their lives and behaviour, and different generations of men and women engage with implementing positive change that could reduce HIV/AIDS vulnerability in their life and community

Cornish et al., 2014, p2111 [7]

Community mobilisation

“For the purposes of this review, we take the term ‘community’ to refer to collective resources that exist among a community, rather than at the individual level. We take the term ‘mobilisation’ to mean capitalising on those community connections and strengths to generate new possibilities of action”. “Community mobilisation is considered as a component of externally-triggered HIV interventions, rather than including indigenous CM initiated by grassroots actors with broader interests than HIV”.

Kerrigan et al., 2013 [8]

Community empowerment (FSW)

Empowerment, community mobilization intervention, empowerment of sex workers, Collectivization activities, Empowerment intervention activities

Kerrigan et al., 2015 [9]

Community empowerment (FSW)

Empowerment, community mobilization intervention, empowerment of sex workers, Collectivization activities, Empowerment intervention activities

Nachega et al., 2016, p4 [21]

Community based interventions

“Models could include the following: (1) home-based interventions (e.g., friends or family-centred approaches); (2) peer- or HIV patient-led interventions; community ART distribution points (with or without involving primary level formal or informal health facilities); (3) community-based ART adherence clubs (with or without involving primary level formal or informal health facilities); (4) community ART groups”

Medley et al., 2009, p2 [22]

Peer education interventions

“the sharing of HIV/AIDS information in small groups or one-to-one by a peer matched, either demographically or through risk behaviour, to the target population. This definition distinguishes peer education from mass media programs that may be hosted by a peer, but where no interpersonal interaction occurs and information flows in only one direction”.

Malaria

Atkinson et al., 2011, p3 [25]

Community participation

A range of different interventions are included in this study.

The authors advocate that communities are best placed to define what is meant both by ‘community’ and ‘participation’.

However, two broad approaches have been previously described: vertical or ‘top down’ approaches, and horizontal or ‘bottom up’ approaches- pros and cons are identified with each.

Okwundu et al., 2013, p6 [26]

Home or community-based programmes

“Any programme which trains mothers or caregivers, community-based volunteers, community-based health workers, or drug sellers to recognise and treat fevers with antimalarials presumptively or after a positive malaria RDT”.

TB

Musa et al., 2014, 104 [27]

Community based interventions

Use of lay community members to facilitate delivery of TB care. A lay health care worker is a member of the community, often without formal training in health care delivery, chosen by the community for the purpose of delivering some care needs. They are identified with other names such as community health care workers, community health care aides and village health care workers

Child and maternal health

Farnsworth et al., 2014, p69–70 & 79 [2]

Community engagement

Community participation and CE - specifically collaborative and shared leadership types of CE

The authors use the term community mobilization to describe highly engaged, community-centred processes designed and implemented with the intent of improving a health outcome through a process of increased community capacity.

“The Collaborate category applies to programs that form a partnership with the community on several aspects of the intervention including planning and management of the program.

The highest step in the CE continuum is Shared Leadership, where final decision-making authority for the program is held by the community itself”. “A Shared Leadership categorization is determined by a strong bidirectional relationship between the program and the community and may include approaches initiated by the community itself. This relationship extends beyond communication to joint planning, implementation and ultimately approval on intervention elements. The Shared Leadership community intervention relationship includes the presence of strong partnership systems and structures between entities”

Prost et al., 2014 [23]

Women’s participatory learning and action groups

The intervention mobilises communities (defined as individuals linked by shared concerns) concerned about maternal and child health (MCH) to take action by organising them into women’s groups and facilitating a four-stage participatory learning and action cycle.

Gilmore and McAuliffe, 2013, p3 [24]

Community health workers (CHW)

Lay health care delivery - in this case by community health workers (CHW).

Community health workers are defined here as ‘members of the communities where they work, should be selected by the communities, should be answerable to the communities for their activities, should be supported by the health system but not necessarily a part of

its organization, and have shorter training than professional workers”

Birth related infection control practices

STIs with a focus on HIV/AIDs

Salimi et al., 2012, p387 [28]

Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR)

Focus is on community-based participatory research (CBPR). “This kind of research aims to promote health or decrease inequality in health by attracting community participation...” “The emphasis of CBPR is on its participative process, which empowers main partners”.