Challenges of Community Participation in Primary Healthcare: A Systematic Review of Reviews
Muhammad Abuarrah, Fatemeh Khosravi, Mohsen KhosraviIntroduction/Objectives
Community participation in Primary Health Care (PHC) is of significant importance. This study aimed to investigate the challenges and barriers of Community Participation in PHC.
Methods
This was a systematic review of reviews conducted in 2026. A systematic search was conducted across several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis methodology was employed to analyze the study data.
Results
A total of 13 studies were included. The quality assessment showed that the mean quality score of the selected studies was 92% (SD = 6.1). Thematic analysis yielded three principal themes: Organizational and Structural Barriers, Personal Barriers, and Cultural and Socio-Economic Barriers. Among these, Organizational and Structural Barriers emerged as the most prominent group of barriers to community participation in PHC.
Conclusions
This research delineated categories of barriers to PHC community participation, highlighting the most prominent. Strategies to improve engagement were also proposed. The study highlighted the crucial role of PHC organization and structure in fostering community engagement which can be an important implication for the beneficiaries.