Meta-synthesis As an Original Method to Synthesize Qualitative Literature in Chronic Diseases: A Narrative Review

Context: 

The recent growth of research and the vast amount of knowledge available highlight the necessity for synthesizing existing research in a reliable and high-quality manner. The substantial body of qualitative meta-synthesis studies on chronic diseases indicates the need for a deeper understanding of this methodology. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to explain the process of meta-synthesis in qualitative research.

 This was a narrative review with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by a web search using relevant keywords. Initially, 980 relevant articles were selected. Subsequently, the titles, abstracts, and full texts were assessed for eligibility using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist. Finally, 21 articles were included in this study.

 Various approaches have been adopted to address the meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Common types of qualitative meta-synthesis include meta-narrative, critical interpretive synthesis, meta-study, meta-ethnography, grounded formal theory, thematic synthesis, textual narrative synthesis, framework synthesis, and ecological triangulation. However, concerning chronic diseases, the most commonly used methods were ethnography and Sandelowski and Barroso’s method.

 Meta-synthesis is a method for integrating the results of studies, re-understanding the findings, and ultimately interpreting them to generate new insights beyond what is obtained from individual studies. Given the extensive body of qualitative research on chronic diseases, it is recommended to conduct this type of research to develop new knowledge based on the findings of previous studies.