Role of Community Nurses in Reducing Anxiety and Depression in At-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Depression and anxiety are some of the most prevalent mental health problems in the world, which disproportionately affect people who belong to at-risk groups because of their socioeconomic, demographic, or health-related vulnerabilities. Such populations are often faced with obstacles to receiving professional psychiatric services, and community-based care is essential when it comes to early detection and intervention. On the one hand, community nurses, as part of primary care and public health systems, are critical to reducing psychological distress by screening, psychoeducating, coaching behaviour, home-based monitoring, crisis management, and follow-up. This systematic review and meta-analysis is a synthesis of the evidence on the effectiveness of community nurse-led programs in the alleviation of anxiety and depression symptoms in at-risk populations. It uses eighteen high-quality studies published between 2020 and 2025 to determine the effectiveness of their programs. The databases such as PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched based on predefined search terms and eligibility criteria. The interventions included cognitive and behavioural support, home visits (structured), telehealth counselling, lifestyle and coping-skills coaching, crisis intervention, and integrated mental health programmes, which were provided at the community level. The meta-analytic findings showed that the levels of anxiety (SMD = -0.46) and depression (SMD = -0.52) were significantly reduced, and the best outcomes were recorded with multicomponent interventions, which included frequent follow-up and tailor-made support. The results of the above findings emphasise the importance of community nurses as an accessible, culturally responsive mental health provider in vulnerable communities.