Community-Engaged Research in Early Home Visiting: A Scoping Review of Peer-Reviewed Literature

Community-engaged research (CEnR) has potential to advance early home visiting and improve health outcomes for all families by ensuring that research aligns with the needs of the community, methods and procedures are acceptable and accessible, and findings are interpreted accurately and disseminated effectively. We conducted a scoping review to characterize the extent and nature of CEnR in peer-reviewed literature relevant to early home visiting. We searched five scholarly databases for literature published since 2010 describing engagement of community members in research involving evidence-based early home visiting programs. We extracted data on each study's characteristics, community collaborators, and factors, outcomes, and measures of community engagement. We then coded each study for 16 community engagement components and characterized each study along an established continuum of CEnR. Fourteen articles met all eligibility criteria and were characterized as involving community consultation, community participation, or community-based participatory research. No articles were characterized as community initiated or driven. No studies assessed the impact of community engagement, and only two described barriers or facilitators to engagement. CEnR may be underutilized and underreported in peer-reviewed home visiting research. Findings highlight opportunities to build motivation and capacity for CEnR, transparency in CEnR reporting, and evaluation of CEnR process and impacts.