Efficacy of Medical-Legal Partnerships to Address Health-Harming Legal Needs: A Systematic Review of Experimental Studies in the Field.

Background: Despite the documented success of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs), there is a dearth of robust experimental-based research on their efficacy. This review synthesizes the findings of MLP interventions and identifies opportunities for MLP expansion in vulnerable communities. Methods: Articles were eligible if they tested the experimental effects of an MLP intervention on health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) and had full text for review. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion and assessed the quality (risk of bias) of each study. Results: Seven studies were eligible. Populations were largely women, of color, and of lower socioeconomic status. All studies demonstrated positive effects on primary endpoints including stress, diabetes, and immunization. Two studies were randomized controlled trials; each presenting with low risk of bias. Conclusion: Studies highlighted the transdisciplinary impact of MLPs. However, additional research on efficacy is needed given the small number of studies in review.