Mapping Uncharted Terrain: A Systematic Review of Complementary and Integrative Health Communication Using...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Communication Studies
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Complementary and integrative health (CIH) use is widespread globally.
• Previous research on CIH communication in healthcare settings primarily focuses on safety, efficacy, and wellness.
• Observational methods are underutilized for studying CIH communication, despite their potential to enhance ecological validity and reduce recall bias.

Approach:

• A systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• Studies were identified from seven databases (January 2010–December 2020) at the intersection of social scientific observational research and CIH communication.
• Ten studies met inclusion criteria, employing various observational techniques like participant observation and digital recordings.

Key Points:

• The review identified limited studies (10 out of 11,793) using observational methods to examine CIH communication between clinicians, patients, and caregivers.
• Findings revealed methodological insights and aspects of CIH communication as a process and its relation to health outcomes.
• Included studies highlighted similarities in methodology and topic despite variations in CIH communication approaches.

Conclusions:

• Current observational research offers an incomplete understanding of CIH communication within biomedical contexts.
• Recommendations are provided to improve the reporting of observational studies, emphasizing the link between communication processes and health outcomes.
• Standardizing observational techniques is essential for enhancing consistency and comparability in future CIH communication research.