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Table 1 Study characteristics

From: Classifying knowledge used in complementary medicine consultations: a qualitative systematic review

Study no.

Author/s (year)

Country

Title of paper

Type of CM practice

Sources of knowledge

Use of knowledge

Study method

Paper quality score

1

Bolton, J. (2000) [19]

USA

Trust and the healing encounter: an examination of an unorthodox healing performance

chiropractic; applied kinesiology

Practice wisdom, patient’s bodies, biomedicine, traditional knowledge

Diagnose and treat, legitimise

Ethnographic case study, observation

12

2

Chant, B. et al. (2017) [20]

Japan

Beliefs and values in Japanese acupuncture: an ethnography of Japanese trained acupuncture practitioners in Japan

acupuncture

Patients’ narratives, formal education and training, traditional knowledge

Diagnose and treat

Qualitative ethnography

23

3

Chatwin, J. (2012) [21]

UK

Damning with faint praise: how homoeopaths talk about conventional medicine with their patients

homeopathy

Biomedicine, patients’ narratives, traditional knowledge

Legitimise

Conversation analysis

20

Chatwin, J. (2008) [22]

 

Pre-empting ‘trouble’ in the homoeopathic consultation

    

18

4

Ciocanel, A. (2016) [23]

Romania

“A remedy that suits me”: Classification of people and individualization in homeopathic prescribing

homeopathy

Patients’ bodies, traditional knowledge, research evidence

Diagnose and treat, legitimise

Qualitative, ethnography, textual analysis

12

5

Eyles, C., Leydon, G. M. & Brien, S. B. (2012) [24]

UK

Forming connections in the homeopathic consultation

homeopathy

Practice wisdom, patients’ narratives, biomedicine, intuition

Relate, diagnose and treat, legitimise

Qualitative, data collected via interviews, observations and practitioner diaries, grounded theory

29

Eyles, C. et al. (2011) [25]

 

A grounded theory study of homeopathic practitioners’ perceptions and experiences of the homeopathic consultation

    

26

6

Fortune, L. D. & Hymel, G. M. (2015) [26]

USA

Creating integrative work: a qualitative study of how massage therapists work with existing clients

massage therapy

Practice wisdom, intuition, biomedicine, formal education and training, patients’ narratives

Relate, diagnose and treat

Qualitative, ethnomethodology, hermeneutic phenomenology

28

7

Hennius, B. J. (2013) [27]

UK

Contemporary chiropractic practice in the UK: a field study of a chiropractor and his patients in a suburban chiropractic clinic

chiropractic

Patients’ narratives, traditional knowledge, patients’ bodies, intuition, biomedicine

Diagnose and treat, legitimise, educate and inform

Ethnography

29

8

Ho, E.Y. & Bylund, C.L. (2008) [28]

USA

Models of health and models of interaction in the practitioner-client relationship in acupuncture

acupuncture/TCM

Patients’ narratives, traditional knowledge, biomedicine

Diagnose and treat, legitimise, relate

Ethnography

20

9

Paterson, C. et al. (2012) [29]

UK

Communication about self-care in traditional acupuncture consultations: the co-construction of individualised support and advice

acupuncture

Patients’ bodies, traditional knowledge

Diagnose and treat, educate and inform

Qualitative, constructivist, conversational analysis

21

10

Pun, J., Chor, W. & Zhong, L. (2019) [30]

Hong Kong

Delivery of patient-centered care in complementary medicine: Insights and evidence from the Chinese medical practitioners and patients in primary care consultations in Hong Kong

TCM

Patients’ bodies, patients’ narratives, traditional knowledge

Diagnose and treat, education and inform

Conversation/discourse analysis

28

Pun, J.

 

Moments of ‘touch’ as a way for mental support in Traditional Chinese

Medicine consultations: Analysis of the interactional process of co-constructing

understanding of the patient’s body conditions in Hong Kong

    

24

11

Ruusuvuori, J. (2005) [31]

Finland

Comparing homeopathic and general practice consultations: the case of problem presentation

homeopathy

Patients’ narratives, traditional knowledge, biomedicine

Legitimise, diagnose and treat

Comparative analysis of General Practitioner and Homeopath consultations

21

12

Segar, J. (2012) [32]

UK

Complementary and alternative medicine: exploring the gap between evidence and usage

homeopathy; acupuncture; reiki

Personal experience, biomedicine

Legitimise

Qualitative

28

13

Stöckigt, B.M. et al. (2015) [33]

Germany

Healing relationships: a qualitative study of healers and their clients in Germany

spiritual healing; meditation

Intuition, personal experience, patients’ narratives

Relate, diagnose and treat, legitimise

Qualitative study using observation and interviews with spiritual healers and clients

30

14

Stub, T., Foss, N. & Liodden, I. (2017) [34]

Norway

“Placebo effect is probably what we refer to as patient healing power”: a qualitative pilot study examining how Norwegian complementary therapists reflect on their practice

Chiropractic, acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy

Personal experience, practice wisdom, patients’ bodies

Relate, diagnose and treat, legitimise

Social qualitative fieldwork, anthropology

14

15

Thomson, O. P.; Petty, N. J. & Moore, A. P. (2014) [35]

UK

A qualitative grounded theory study of the conceptions of clinical practice in osteopathy - a continuum from technical rationality to professional artistry

osteopathy

Traditional knowledge, practice wisdom, patients’ bodies, patients’ narratives, formal education and training

Diagnose and treat, legitimise, educate and inform

Qualitative, constructivist grounded theory

25

Thomson, O. P., Petty, N.J. & Moore, A.P. (2014) [36]

 

Clinical decision-making and therapeutic approaches in osteopathy - a qualitative grounded theory study

    

34

16

West, V. & Denham, A. (2017) [37]

UK

The clinical reasoning of Western herbal practitioners: A qualitative feasibility study

western herbal practice

Traditional knowledge, patients’ narratives, intuition, practice wisdom

Diagnose and treat

Qualitative case study

30