Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| References, country/region, study quality (MMAT) | Study design | Setting | Data collection | Participants | Key findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ansari et al. (42) The United Kingdom*** |
Quantitative descriptive | Communities in Kent County | Data mining from the number of cases collected by the Community Ophthalmology Team | Community ophthalmology patients (n = 6,262) | Ophthalmology services delivered by IP specialized optometrists could efficiently treat and manage the increasing number of urgent cases and deal with the reduced capacity for emergency treatment of patients |
| Apata et al. (43) The United States** |
Mixed method | A community dialysis center in Georgia | Observations, field note, and face-to-face interviews | Community dialysis patients (n = 751) | Community dialysis facilities could implement measures (COVID-19 screening, universal masking, telemedicine, isolation room for dialysis of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, etc.) to successfully control COVID-19 infection and serve the community dialysis patients |
| Aulandez et al. (44) The United States, Canada** |
Qualitative | 11 indigenous communities | Observations, field note, and face-to-face interviews | Patients (n = 23) | Holistic wellness boxes (cards with teachings on dealing with stress, lavender essential oil for practicing mindfulness, storybooks for encouraging children, resources to prevent COVID-19, etc.) could relieve the psychosocial and physical health risks of residents in indigenous communities |
| Bahagia et al. (45) Indonesia*** |
Qualitative | Urug and Cipatat Kolot villages | Observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation | Customary heads of the Urug and Cipatat Kolot people (n = 4) and community member | Different types of social organizations took part in food provision and allocation to the vulnerable groups (orphans, elderlies, widows, etc.) |
| Baratta et al. (46) Italy*** |
Mixed method | Community pharmacies in the Piedmont region | Questionnaire and online interviews | Community pharmacists (n = 286) | Protective strategies taken in the pharmacies (hygiene measures, PPTs, social distancing, etc.) could effectively halt the spread of the virus among pharmacists and ensure the pharmacies to provide pharmacy services to the community patients safely |
| Biro-Hannah (47) The United Kingdom *** |
Qualitative | A UK community | Participatory observation | Adult mental health service users (n = 6) | Online group art therapy delivered by an online art therapy group mitigated the psychological effects of COVID-19 on the community adult residents |
| Cheng et al. (48) China**** |
Qualitative | Communities across 5 major cities in Zhejiang province | Semi-structured interviews | Government officials (n = 12), agency directors (n = 30), civil servants (n = 70), and citizens (n = 35) | Multiple measures involving social organizations such as temperature checks at the entrances of the communities, contact tracing, home quarantine, and safeguarding food supply played an important role in the successful prevention of the epidemic in the community |
| Cheng et al. (49) Hong Kong** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Communities in Hong Kong | Data mining from multiple open data | Hong Kong citizens (n = 7.45 million) | Community-wide mask wearing contributed to the control of COVID-19 by reducing the amount of emission of infected saliva and respiratory droplets from individuals with subclinical or mild COVID-19 |
| Durmuş et al. (50) Turkey**** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Communities across Turkey | Data mining from Google Mobility Reports | Android devices users in Turkey | Community-based social distancing significantly decreased the effective reproduction number (Rt) of COVID-19 by reducing human mobility, and thereby prevented many people from becoming infected |
| Frimpong et al. (51) Sierra Leone**** |
Qualitative | Two communities called Cockle Bay and Portee | In-depth interviews and focus group discussions | Community-based organization leaders (n = 20), experts (n = 4), and government officials (n = 4) | Multiple measures lead by community-based organizations, such as providing epidemic prevention knowledge, mobilizing COVID-19 response actions, supplying sanitary items, risk communication, and supporting vulnerable residents, played a major role in responding to COVID-19 |
| George et al. (52) The United States***** |
Quantitative | Communities across 27 states | Data mining from Columbus Electronic Health Record | Community rheumatology patients (n = 60,002) | Telehealth care offset the large disruptions in care during the COVID-19 pandemic to some extent and protected the community patients |
| Ha et al. (53) Vietnam***** |
Qualitative | Communities in Que Vo and Phuc Son districts | Semi-structured interviews | Residents, community representatives, health authorities, etc. (n = 36) | Community prevention measures, such as early detection, isolation, quarantine, and risk communication, played an important role in the prevention and control of COVID-19 |
| Hutchings et al. (54) Australia**** |
Qualitative | Communities served by SLHD in New South Wales | Observations and field note | Community patients with COVID-19 (n = 162) | Community-based virtual health care, including telemedicine in combination with remote patient monitoring, was a feasible and safe approach for managing less severe cases of COVID-19 |
| Juhn et al. (55) The United States*** |
Quantitative descriptive | Communities in Southeast Minnesota | Questionnaire survey | Community residents aged more than 50 years (n = 2,325) | Community based social distancing, mask wearing, and hand hygiene might significantly mitigate the risk of COVID-19 |
| Kwok et al. (56) Hong Kong*** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Hong Kong communities | Questionnaire survey | Community residents (n = 1,715) | Community-based measures, such as personal hygiene, travel avoidance, and social distancing, might slow the transmission of COVID-19 |
| Lim et al. (57) The United Kingdom***** |
Qualitative | Community pharmacies in South East of England | Semi-structured telephonic interviews | Community pharmacy team members (n = 14) | Innovative services (home medication delivery services, tailored services, and telephone and video-consultations) provided by community pharmacies could support the community dementia patients safely during the epidemic |
| McCalman et al. (58) Australia**** |
Qualitative | An indigenous community Yarrabah, Far North Queensland | Semi-structured telephonic interviews | Primary healthcare staff (n = 13), community and government leaders, and community members (n = 5) | Multiple measures such as community lockdown, COVID-19 testing, quarantine, risk communication, providing epidemic prevention knowledge, and supporting residents' wellbeing (food supply, mental health services, etc.) prevented Yarrabah community from having a single confirmed case |
| McConachie et al. (59) The United States** | Mixed method | A community hospital | Filed work and documentation from Beaumont community hospital | Clinical specialists, pharmacists, and community patients | Beaumont community hospital restructured its work workflow, shifted its medication supply, and innovated pharmacokinetic dosing services to provide effective pharmaceutical services for its residents during the pandemic |
| Narasri et al. (60) Thailand**** |
Qualitative | Communities with food insecurity challenges in Bangkok | Focus group interviews | Community volunteers (n = 12), community leaders (n = 4), and health providers (n = 4) | Multiple measures such as community pantry of sharing, community gardening, and collaboration within external organizations successfully achieved sustainable food security of the community |
| Omboni et al. (61) Italy*** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Communities served by a telehealth platform | Data mining from the TEMPLAR Project database | Community patients using telehealth service | Telehealth performed in community pharmacies was a feasible and useful solution for monitoring the health status (ambulatory blood pressure, spirometry, sleep oximetry, etc.) of community patients during the epidemic |
| Patel et al. (62) The United States*** |
Quantitative descriptive | A large community pharmacy in Arizona | Questionnaire survey | Community residents (n = 622) | Pharmacy-provided point-of-care testing services for COVID-19 expanded patient access to testing during the pandemic in a lower-income community |
| Peng et al. (63) China**** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Communities across China | Data mining from Tencent and Ifeng real-time tracking and National Health Commission data | Community residents | Intensive community screening was extremely effective in suppressing the spread of COVID-19 virus |
| Pruitt et al. (64) China*** |
Quantitative descriptive | Communities across Montana | Web-based questionnaire survey | Professionals providing suicide prevention services to American Indians (n = 80) |
Most telehealth users reported that telehealth was effective in preventing suicides among American Indian communities in Montana during COVID-19. Telehealth providers perceived suicide prevention services through telehealth as effective as face-to-face care |
| Vanhamel et al. (65) Belgium**** |
Qualitative | Orthodox Jewish communities of Antwerp | In-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and community mapping | Community leaders (n = 7) and community members (n = 9) | Risk communication performed by community leaders proved to be of great importance to foster a feeling of trust in the government's response measures and facilitate the coverage and uptake of pandemic control measures |
| Villani et al. (66) Ireland*** |
Qualitative | Traveler and Roma Communities |
Observation notes, NGOs' briefings, and minutes of meetings | Government officials, community health staffs, and NGO members | In Traveler and Roma communities, public health measures (equipment of waste collection, running water, and mobile isolation units), economic and social support, culturally appropriate communications, and lobbying for prevention measures) contributed to minimizing the health inequities during the pandemic |
| Wallis et al. (67) The United Kingdom*** |
Quantitative descriptive | Communities in London | Questionnaire survey | Community patients who were tested by NHS trusts (n = 2,053) | Community testing allowed widespread testing for COVID-19 while minimizing patient transport, hospital admissions, and staff exposures. Thus, it was an important and feasible approach to mitigate the epidemic |
| Wong et al. (68) Hong Kong*** |
Mixed method | A community isolation facility and a community treatment facility | Observations, field note, and data mining from the CIF and CTF | Community patients of the CIF and CTF | Community isolation and treatment facilities accompanied by meticulous infection control measures (staff training, audit, staff and patient hand hygiene, and direct observation of donning and doffing) was a feasible and safe approach to combat the epidemic |
| Zhang et al. (69) China*** |
Qualitative | Haiyu community in Shenzhen city | Observations and field note | General practitioner, community manager, and government officials | Community containment strategies, including temperature checking, mask wearing, contact tracking, quarantine, and isolation treatment, limited community transmission of the virus |
| Zhu et al. (70) China*** |
Quantitative non-randomized | Communities in Anhui province | Data mining from the data of two trauma centers and National Health Commission | Patients in two trauma centers and confirmed cases | Community quarantine strategy was effectively implemented and significantly slowed the outbreak of COVID-19 in Anhui province. However, the implementation and maintenance of the strategy was costly |
The symbols *, **, ***, ****, and ***** refer to scores of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%, respectively, obtained on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), version 2018; the study design was categorized according to this criterion presented in the MMAT, version 2018.