AIMS: Previous reviews have revealed uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of home visit interventions for managing diabetes. Therefore, we performed a quantitative systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of home visit interventions among patients with diabetes. METHODS: We searched various electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Wanfang, and Chinese scientific full-text databases) from their inception until March 2016. We included randomized controlled trials that included patients with diabetes and evaluated the effects of home visit programs on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations. Two reviewers independently used the Cochrane Collaboration methods to assess the included studies' risk of bias and quality. RESULTS: We included 7 randomized controlled trials with 686 participants. Compared to the usual care, the home visit group exhibited a greater reduction in HbA1c concentrations (mean difference [MD]: -0.79% [-9 mmol/mol], 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.93 to -0.25% [11 to -3 mmol/mol]; p < 0.05; I2 = 0%), systolic blood pressure (MD: -5.94 mmHg, 95% CI: -11.34 to -0.54 mmHg), and diastolic blood pressure (MD: -6.32 mmHg, 95% CI: -12.00 to -0.65 mmHg). Furthermore, home visits improved quality of life, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, total triglycerides, and self-management. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in their body weight, total cholesterol, body mass index, and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Home visits were associated with improved glycemic control and reduced cardiovascular risk factors, which indicates that it is an effective method for diabetes management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved