How to locate and appraise qualitative research in complementary and alternative medicine.

Brigitte Franzel,Peter Heusser,Bettina Berger,Martina Schwiegershausen

doi:10.1186/1472-6882-13-125

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this publication is to present a case study of how to locate and appraise qualitative studies for the conduct of a meta-ethnography in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is commonly associated with individualized medicine. However, one established scientific approach to the individual, qualitative research, thus far has been explicitly used very rarely. This article demonstrates a case example of how qualitative research in the field of CAM studies was identified and critically appraised.MethodsSeveral search terms and techniques were tested for the identification and appraisal of qualitative CAM research in the conduct of a meta-ethnography. Sixty-seven electronic databases were searched for the identification of qualitative CAM trials, including CAM databases, nursing, nutrition, psychological, social, medical databases, the Cochrane Library and DIMDI.Results9578 citations were screened, 223 articles met the pre-specified inclusion criteria, 63 full text publications were reviewed, 38 articles were appraised qualitatively and 30 articles were included. The search began with PubMed, yielding 87% of the included publications of all databases with few additional relevant findings in the specific databases. CINHAL and DIMDI also revealed a high number of precise hits. Although CAMbase and CAM-QUEST® focus on CAM research only, almost no hits of qualitative trials were found there. Searching with broad text terms was the most effective search strategy in all databases.ConclusionsThis publication presents a case study on how to locate and appraise qualitative studies in the field of CAM. The example shows that the literature search for qualitative studies in the field of CAM is most effective when the search is begun in PubMed followed by CINHAL or DIMDI using broad text terms. Exclusive CAM databases delivered no additional findings to locate qualitative CAM studies.

Highlights

The aim of this publication is to present a case study of how to locate and appraise qualitative studies for the conduct of a meta-ethnography in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
The monthly research colloquium consisted of 5–10 researchers of our institution in the field of CAM with backgrounds in medicine, psychology, philosophy and nutrition science research as well as qualitative research
The example showed that the literature search and appraisal was a very comprehensive task with a large number of possible methods starting with the literature search and ending with the appraisal of existing papers

Summary

Introduction

The aim of this publication is to present a case study of how to locate and appraise qualitative studies for the conduct of a meta-ethnography in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This article demonstrates a case example of how qualitative research in the field of CAM studies was identified and critically appraised. In medical and health service research during the last decade, the number of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reports, of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), has increased significantly. Qualitative studies are applied when methods are needed to understand patients’ experiences and perceptions of healthcare. They have become increasingly relevant to the development and evaluation of complex interventions [13]. Even though the methods of meta-synthesis are highly variable, qualitative meta-syntheses play a growing role in improving the understanding of patients’ perspectives [14]

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Results

Conclusion