Healthcare interventions involving community healthcare workers in the management of people with multiple long-term conditions: scoping review

Background Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in healthcare delivery, serving as a link between their communities and primary healthcare facilities. Their role in managing individuals with multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) is not clear. Objective To review published literature on the scope of practice and roles of CHWs as well as the tools they use in healthcare interventions that aim to improve outcomes for people living with MLTCs. Methods A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s guidance. We searched seven electronic databases (Medline via PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Africa Wide info, Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsycINFO) and reference lists of two relevant systematic reviews. We included articles published from 2013–2025 in English that reported healthcare interventions in which CHWs managed people living with MLTCs. We extracted study details, including title and authors, year, setting, roles of CHWs, and types of interventions. Screening was conducted independently by two reviewers, and one reviewer conducted data extraction. We used a descriptive analytic method with narrative synthesis of findings. Results We identified 149 articles and, after removing duplicates, 108 articles were screened by title and abstract, and 14 relevant articles were included for full data extraction. Most studies (8/14) were conducted in high-income countries United States of America, England, and Australia. Roles of CHWs were classified into four categories: patient care management, education and empowerment, coaching and support, and coordination and follow-up. Interventions included collaborative care, health coaching, and digital literacy. Tools used by CHWs were digital or paper-based and included activity logs, a health literacy booklet and a health literacy video, and mobile applications. Conclusions CHWs have reported having a range of roles and tools to conduct their work in supporting patients with MLTCs. This can be applied in more settings to enhance integrated care in communities.