Impact of nurse practitioners in primary care on patients with chronic diseases in rural and underserved areas: A systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ageing, multimorbidity, and workforce shortages increasingly limit access to primary healthcare, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Objectives

To document impact of nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care on patients with chronic diseases.

Methods

Searches were conducted in Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL (March 1978-October 2023). This systematic review followed MECIR and PRISMA guidelines (PRISMA 2020 checklist: EQUATOR Network) with SWiM used as a PRISMA extension due to the lack of meta-analysis. The focus was on NPs' roles in chronic disease management and primary care in underserved or remote areas, excluding mental health, cancer, and dental care.

Results

Among 3,684 citations, 25 studies were selected, including 10 RCT. NPs may

SUBMITTER: Sacchetti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12849805 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature