Components of complex interventions for healthcare: A narrative synthesis of qualitative studies

© 2020 Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Objective: Qualitative research on therapeutic components is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of complex interventions in healthcare. As few qualitative syntheses have been conducted, this study aimed to derive a new conceptual framework for understanding the components of complex interventions and provide evidence for the implementation and evaluation of complex healthcare interventions. Methods: A systematic search of seven databases was conducted to identify qualitative studies that explored components of complex healthcare interventions. Meta-ethnography was used to analyze the data and thematic analysis was used to build the conceptual framework. Results: Of the 35 included studies, most complex interventions were non-pharmacological, with cancer accounting for 22%, mental health for 14%, and stroke for 8%. Half of the studies were conducted in the United Kingdom. Three main categories emerged: what should healthcare workers do? what qualifications should they have? and what should patients do? Five main themes were identified: psychological, biological, cognitive and behavioral, environmental, and social support. Conclusion: This analysis provides a reference for designing components of complex interventions in further studies.