Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Apr 11, 2026
Date Accepted: Jul 1, 2026
Home Visits as a Primary Health Care Strategy During COVID-19: Protocol for a Scoping Review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Primary Health Care (PHC) played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic by adapting care delivery to maintain essential services and reduce transmission risks. Home visits emerged as a key strategy for monitoring individuals in isolation, supporting vulnerable populations, and sustaining community-based care. However, their implementation varied across contexts, and the available evidence remains fragmented, limiting the identification of consistent approaches and outcomes.
Objective:
This scoping review aims to systematically map and synthesize the scientific literature on the use of home visits as a care strategy in PHC during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on their organization, implementation, reported outcomes, and existing knowledge gaps.
Methods:
This protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological framework and will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The research question was developed using the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) framework. A comprehensive search will be conducted across seven electronic databases, without language restrictions, including studies published from 2020 onward. Study selection will be performed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Data extraction will follow a standardized form. The synthesis will be conducted using descriptive and thematic analyses to identify patterns in the organization, implementation, and outcomes of home visits.
Results:
This review is expected to map the organization and implementation of home visits in PHC during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying key approaches, outcomes, and knowledge gaps to inform future home-based care strategies in public health emergencies.
Conclusions:
By mapping and synthesizing evidence on home visit practices in PHC during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings may have the potential to better prepare health professionals for global emergencies by consolidating practices across diverse contexts, thereby supporting the strengthening of resilient and equitable health systems worldwide. Clinical Trial: OSF™ Registries, November 22, 2025 [blinded link for peer review only]: https://osf.io/2mp58/overview?view_only=60e1d68153734f4cbfce168e459c2b11
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Copyright
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