Role of communities in preparedness, response and resilience to cholera epidemics: a systematic review protocol.

Abstract

Cholera remains a major global health concern, particularly in fragile and resource-limited settings despite global efforts to reduce cholera morbidity and mortality. While community engagement is widely recognised as a cornerstone of sustainable cholera control, evidence on its effective implementation, particularly the concrete roles of communities in preparedness, response and resilience, is currently fragmented and poorly documented.This protocol describes a systematic review that aims to identify and synthesise global evidence on how communities contribute to cholera preparedness, response and resilience, with a focus on identifying enablers, barriers and best practices in diverse contexts. This protocol adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols updated in 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across major databases (eg, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, AJOL) and institutional repositories (eg, WHO Institutional Repository for Information Sharing (IRIS),International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)). The search will target peer-reviewed and grey literature published between January 2000 and December 2025 in all languages. Eligible studies include those describing community-level interventions, participation or engagement in cholera epidemic preparedness, response or resilience activities. Study selection and data extraction will be independently performed by six reviewers in pairs, with quality appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. A narrative and thematic synthesis will be conducted across the three domains (preparedness, response and resilience), with subgroup analyses performed where data allow. Ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through publications and presentations and will identify crucial research gaps. This review will support global health actors, including the Global Task Force on Cholera Control, by directly informing guidance for community-driven cholera control strategies and policy. CRD420251105088.