Community engagement through health communication: Strengthening maternal and child healthcare (MCH) in India

Background: The review explores the role of community engagement through health communication in enhancing MCH services in India. Specifically, it aims to 1) provide an overview of health communication strategies employed in MCH programs and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives in achieving health outcomes to build future program design. Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature has been conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, DOAJ, Web of Science, and Science Direct. Articles published between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2024, that evaluated health communication interventions in MCH programs in India, were included. Results: The review revealed a wide range of health communication strategies, including mass media campaigns, interpersonal communication through community health workers, mobile health (mHealth) interventions, and participatory group discussions. Conclusion: Key outcomes documented included increased ANC attendance, higher rates of institutional deliveries, improved breastfeeding practices, and better immunization coverage. However, challenges such as limited outreach to marginalized populations, linguistic diversity, and gaps in the training of community health workers were recorded.