Objective: The purpose of this review is to determine the factors associated with the outcomes of community health programs with particular focus on low- to middle-income countries. In addition, this review aims to suggest how these factors can affect the creation of a Sickle Cell Anemia health program in sub-Saharan Africa.
Design and sample: A literature review spanning the last decade (March 2007 to February 2017) was conducted using the Whittemore and Knafl integrative review framework.
Results: Community ownership, networking, and resource allocation were identified as themes that affect community health program outcomes. Attempts to use a guiding principle or process to implement community health programs were also apparent in the literature.
Conclusion: More rigorous scientific investigation is needed to ensure that these community health programs are effective and have measurable outcomes. Nursing is well positioned, considering the metaparadigm concepts that guide practice, to forge this research. Nursing scientists could fill the gap in knowledge related to community health program outcomes in low- to middle-income countries while achieving global objectives focused on decreasing noncommunicable disease burden.
Keywords: community health; community health nursing; community health program; global health; low-income country; middle-income country; noncommunicable disease.
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