Summary of search and source for the implementation review
| Component | Description, inclusion/exclusion criteria and process of data extraction |
|---|---|
| Population | We included studies focused on patients' and/or caregivers’ samples. Since scientific literature reported the use of a Narrative Medicine approach in every type of disease, we included in the review all the studies that considered patients affected by every kind of physical and mental illness. No restriction of race, age or other sample characteristics was considered. |
| Study design/type of study | Different types of study designs were considered, both research studies and intervention studies. Since studies adopting narrative methods are usually implemented with small size samples, we also included case studies in the review. We also selected studies considered by their own authors as part of the Narrative Medicine approach. |
| Dependent variables | Owing to the characteristics of the checked articles, we included in the review research studies exploring different types of variables such as pain or well-being, satisfaction in participating in the intervention and structure of illness narratives. |
| Databases | PubMed (186 records), CINAHL (69 records), EBSCO Psychological and Behavioural Science (30 records), The Cochrane Library (15 items) and PSYCINFO (25 items). Authors closely examined the bibliographies of the full-text screened articles to identify any additional possible study |
| Other exclusion criteria | Dissertations, book reviews and editorials were not considered. |