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Exploring the conceptualization, operationalization, implementation, and measurement of outreach in community settings with hard-to-reach and hidden populations: A scoping review

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  • Jiao, Sunny
  • Slemon, Allie
  • Guta, Adrian
  • Bungay, Vicky

Abstract

Outreach is as a strategy employed by those in health and social services, which generally involves establishing relationships and providing support to people situated in hard-to-reach and hidden populations. However, there is a lack of clarity across the literature on how outreach is conceptualized, the central elements of outreach as a program and practice, and how the ‘success’ of outreach is empirically measured. Such gaps limit understandings of how outreach can be most effectively implemented and evaluated. The purpose of this scoping review responds to these challenges by systematically examining how outreach has been conceptualized, operationalized, and evaluated in community settings with hard-to-reach and hidden populations. This scoping review approach was undertaken in accordance with the 6-step framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley and advanced by Levac and colleagues. The search was conducted across four databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO) and included research, review, and non-empirical articles published in English between January 1, 2008 and April 20, 2020.16,238 records were screened by title and abstract, followed by a review of 654 full-text articles and critical appraisal of 67 articles. Forty-two articles were included in the review, including 28 research articles (90%), two review, and two non-empirical. Findings illustrate that there is considerable variation in how outreach is conceptualized, implemented, and evaluated across the literature. Further, outreach is often inadequately defined, and predominantly overlooks the underlying and systemic reasons for clients' “disengagement” from health and social care. Outreach providers and researchers are encouraged to draw on client-led aims, goals, and outcome measures to determine the enactment, evaluation, and measurement of outreach, and to explicitly position outreach as working alongside clients to remove structural barriers to care.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiao, Sunny & Slemon, Allie & Guta, Adrian & Bungay, Vicky, 2022. "Exploring the conceptualization, operationalization, implementation, and measurement of outreach in community settings with hard-to-reach and hidden populations: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:309:y:2022:i:c:s027795362200538x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115232
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Saldanha, Kennedy & Parenteau, Derek, 2013. "“Well, if you can't smile you should go home!” Experiences and reflective insights on providing outreach to young sex trade workers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1276-1283.
    2. Lazarus, L. & Chettiar, J. & Deering, K. & Nabess, R. & Shannon, K., 2011. "Risky health environments: Women sex workers’ struggles to find safe, secure and non-exploitative housing in Canada’s poorest postal code," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(11), pages 1600-1607.
    3. Strike, Carol J. & O'Grady, Caroline & Myers, Ted & Millson, Margaret, 2004. "Pushing the boundaries of outreach work: the case of needle exchange outreach programs in Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 209-219, July.
    4. Slesnick, Natasha & Zhang, Jing & Brakenhoff, Brittany, 2017. "Personal control and service connection as paths to improved mental health and exiting homelessness among severely marginalized homeless youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 121-127.
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    1. Esther Van Poel & Claire Collins & Peter Groenewegen & Peter Spreeuwenberg & Gazmend Bojaj & Jonila Gabrani & Christian Mallen & Liubove Murauskiene & Milena Šantrić Milićević & Emmily Schaubroeck & S, 2023. "The Organization of Outreach Work for Vulnerable Patients in General Practice during COVID-19: Results from the Cross-Sectional PRICOV-19 Study in 38 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.

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