Table 3 Community engagement techniques and approaches found in the systematic reviews

Sensitisation with the community, e.g. Raising awareness of a health intervention with the community before the intervention begins; offering opportunity for engagement.

[2, 7,8,9, 20, 22, 24,25,26]

Consultation with community leaders/members/stakeholders

[2, 7, 8, 25, 28]

Involvement of the community in identification /mapping of

• ‘social actors’ e.g. local agents or organizations with resources

• community members to deliver or promote interventions

• positive behaviours/ good examples e.g. positive deviance methods

• problems and priority setting

[2, 7, 23, 25]

Strengthening links to health systems or health service delivery e.g. lay person facilitation of health planning groups.

[2, 7, 8, 21, 23,24,25,26,27]

Community delivery of interventions, either in the household, via groups, via CM events, often using health education

[2, 7, 9, 21, 23,24,25,26,27]

Participatory learning and action cycle

[2, 7, 20, 23]

Formation of groups in the community

[2, 7, 20, 22, 23, 28]

Development of the community intervention, or aspects of it e.G. key messages/materials

[2, 25, 28]

Creating safe space for debate and conscientisation

[7, 9]