Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Designing and delivering facilitated storytelling interventions for chronic disease self-management: a scoping review

Authors: Enza Gucciardi, Nicole Jean-Pierre, Grace Karam, Souraya Sidani

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Little is known about how to develop and deliver storytelling as an intervention to support those managing chronic illnesses. This scoping review aims to describe the core elements of storytelling interventions in order to help facilitate its implementation.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted in seven databases for articles published up to May 2014 to identify interventions that describe in detail how storytelling was used to support people in disease self-management interventions.

Results

Ten articles met all inclusion criteria. Core elements consistently observed across the storytelling interventions were: reflection and interactive meaning-making of experiences; principles of informality and spontaneity; non-directional and non-hierarchical facilitation; development of group norms and conduct to create a community among participants; and both an individual and collective role for participants. Differences were also observed across interventions, such as: the conceptual frameworks that directed the design of the intervention; the type and training of facilitators; intervention duration; and how session topics were selected and stories delivered. Furthermore, evaluation of the intervention and outcome assessment varied greatly across studies.

Conclusion

The use of storytelling can be a novel intervention to enhance chronic disease self-management. The core elements identified in the review inform the development of the intervention to be more patient-centred by guiding participants to take ownership of and lead the intervention, which differs significantly from traditional support groups. Storytelling has the potential to provide patients with a more active role in their health care by identifying their specific needs as well as gaps in knowledge and skills, while allowing them to form strong bonds with peers who share similar disease-related experiences. However, measures of impact differed across interventions given the variation in chronic conditions. Our findings can guide future development and implementations of storytelling interventions.
Literature
1.
Stuckey HL. Healing from dry bones: creative expression and adult learning in diabetes care. a thesis in adult education. The Pennsylvania State University. The graduate school. College of education. 2007
2.
Gucciardi E, Demelo M, Offenheim A, Grace SL, Stewart DE. Patient factors associated with attrition from a self-management education programme 6. J Eval Clin Pract. 2007;13:913–9.PubMed
3.
Gucciardi E, Demelo M, Offenheim A, Stewart DE. Factors contributing to attrition behavior in diabetes self-management programs: a mixed method approach 5. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008;8:33.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
4.
Gucciardi E, Horodezny S, Swartzack S, Khan S, Chan VWS, Fortugno M. Primary care physician referral patterns to diabetes education programs in Southern Ontario, Canada. Can J Diab. 2012;35:262–8.CrossRef
5.
Gucciardi E, Chan VWS, Chuen BK, Fortugno M, Horodezny S, Swartzack S. Patient Factors and Perceived Barriers in Attending Diabetes Education Programs. 780. Can J Diab. 2012;36:214–7.CrossRef
6.
Randall WL. The stories we are: an essay on self-creation. 2nd ed. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press; 2014.
7.
Haigh C, Hardy P. Tell me a story--a conceptual exploration of storytelling in healthcare education. Nurse Educ Today. 2011;31:408–11.CrossRefPubMed
8.
9.
Abma TA. Learning by Telling: Storytelling Workshops as an Organizational Learning Intervention. Manage Learn. 2003;34:221–40.CrossRef
10.
Houston TK, Allison JJ, Sussman M, Horn W, Holt CL, Trobaugh J, et al. Culturally appropriate storytelling to improve blood pressure: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2011;154:77–84.CrossRefPubMed
11.
McQueen A, Kreuter MW, Kalesan B, Alcaraz KI. Understanding narrative effects: the impact of breast cancer survivor stories on message processing, attitudes, and beliefs among African American women. Health Psychol. 2011;30:674–82.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
12.
Greenhalgh T, Campbell-Richards D, Vijayaraghavan S, Collard A, Malik F, Griffin M, et al. New models of self-management education for minority ethnic groups: pilot randomized trial of a story-sharing intervention. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2011;16:28–36.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Cangelosi PR, Sorrell JM. Storytelling as an educational strategy for older adults with chronic illness. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2008;46:19–22.PubMed
14.
Greenhalgh T, Collard A, Begum N. Narrative based medicine: An action research project to develop group education and support for bilingual health advocates and elderly South Asian patients with diabetes. Pract Diab Int. 2005;22:125–9.CrossRef
15.
Greenhalgh T, Collard A, Campbell-Richards D, Vijayaraghavan S, Malik F, Morris J, et al. Storylines of self-management: narratives of people with diabetes from a multiethnic inner city population. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2011;16:37–43.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Holm A-K, Lepp M, Ringsberg KC. Dementia: involving patients in storytelling – a caring intervention. A pilot study. J Clin Nurs. 2005;14(2):256–63.
17.
Struthers R, Hodge FS, Geishirt-Cantrell B, De CL. Participant experiences of talking circles on type 2 diabetes in two Northern Plains American Indian Tribes. Qual Health Res. 2003;13:1094–115.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
18.
Dale JR, Williams SM, Bowyer V. What is the effect of peer support on diabetes outcomes in adults? A systematic review. Diabet Med. 2012;29:1361–77.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Funnell MM. Peer-based behavioural strategies to improve chronic disease self-management and clinical outcomes: evidence, logistics, evaluation considerations and needs for future research. Fam Pract. 2010;27 Suppl 1:i17–22.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Piana N, Maldonato A, Bloise D, Carboni L, Careddu G, Fraticelli E, et al. The narrative-autobiographical approach in the group education of adolescents with diabetes: a qualitative research on its effects. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;80:56–63.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol: Theory Pract. 2015;8:19–32.CrossRef
22.
23.
Evans BC, Crogan NL, Bendel R. Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer: part 1--development and implementation. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2008;35:257–64.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Crogan NL, Evans BC, Bendel R. Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer: part 2 - pilot testing. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2008;35:265–72.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Comellas M, Walker EA, Movsas S, Merkin S, Zonszein J, Strelnick H. Training community health promoters to implement diabetes self-management support programs for urban minority adults. Diabetes Educ. 2010;36:141–51.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Greenhalgh T, Collard A, Begum N. Sharing stories: complex intervention for diabetes education in minority ethnic groups who do not speak English. BMJ. 2005;330:628.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
27.
Sitvast J. Self-management and representation of reality in photo stories. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2013;36:336–50.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Koch T, Kralik D. Chronic illness: reflections on a community-based action research programme. J Adv Nurs. 2001;36:23–31.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Sandelowski M. We are the stories we tell: narrative knowing in nursing practice. J Holist Nurs. 1994;12:23–33.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Sitvast JE, Abma TA. The photo-instrument as a health care intervention. Health Care Anal. 2012;20:177–95.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Jamison KR. The patient’s perspective: Oxford textbook of psychiatry. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2009.
32.
Reeves S, Albert M, Kuper A, Hodges BD. Why use theories in qualitative research? BMJ. 2008;337:a949.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Hinyard LJ, Kreuter MW. Using narrative communication as a tool for health behavior change: a conceptual, theoretical, and empirical overview. Health Educ Behav. 2007;34:777–92.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Larkey LK, Hecht M. A model of effects of narrative as culture-centric health promotion. J Health Commun. 2010;15:114–35.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Kreuter MW, Green MC, Cappella JN, Slater MD, Wise ME, Storey D, et al. Narrative communication in cancer prevention and control: a framework to guide research and application. Ann Behav Med. 2007;33:221–35.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Nkoni L. Lay health worker attrition: important but often ignored. Bull World Health Org. 2011.
37.
Evans BC, Crogan NL, Bendel R. Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer - Intervention Toolkit. 2008. Ref Type: Unpublished Work
38.
Hodge FS, Pasqua A, Marquez CA, Geishirt-Cantrell B. Utilizing traditional storytelling to promote wellness in American Indian communities. J Transcult Nurs. 2002;13:6–11.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
39.
Caserta MS, Lund DA. Intrapersonal resources and the effectiveness of self-help groups for bereaved older adults. Gerontol. 1993;33:619–29.CrossRef
40.
Greenhalgh T, Campbell-Richards D, Vijayaraghavan S, Collard A, Malik F, Morris J, et al. The sharing stories model of diabetes self management education for minority ethnic groups: a pilot randomised controlled trial. SDO Project (08/1504/111). London, UK: Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO. Ref Type: Report; 2009.
41.
Burge et al. Hypoglycemia and self-care in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. In Geriatric Diabetesedited by Medha N. Munshi, Lewis A. Lipsitz. CRC Press; 2007. p. 448.
42.
Loveman E, Frampton GK, Shepherd J, Picot J, Cooper K, Bryant J, et al. The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of long-term weight management schemes for adults: a systematic review. Health Technol Assess. 2011;15:1–182.CrossRef
43.
Due-Christensen M, Zoffmann V, Lau M. Can sharing experiences in groups reduce the burden of living with diabetes, regardless of glycaemic control? Diabet Med. 2012;29:251–6.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Drew SE, Duncan RE, Sawyer SM. Visual storytelling: a beneficial but challenging method for health research with young people. Qual Health Res. 2010;20:1677–88.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Designing and delivering facilitated storytelling interventions for chronic disease self-management: a scoping review
Authors
Enza Gucciardi
Nicole Jean-Pierre
Grace Karam
Souraya Sidani
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1474-7

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Health Services Research 1/2016 Go to the issue

Research article

Cost-effectiveness analysis of anal cancer screening in women with cervical neoplasia in British Columbia, Canada

Research article

Classification and rates of adverse events in a Malawi male circumcision program: impact of quality improvement training

Research article

Factors influencing health care and service providers’ and their respective “at risk” populations’ adoption of the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI): a qualitative study

Erratum

Erratum to: Project ACHIEVE – using implementation research to guide the evaluation of transitional care effectiveness

Research article

Appropriate and inappropriate care in the last phase of life: an explorative study among patients and relatives

Research article

The effects of the Norwegian Coordination Reform on the use of rehabilitation services: panel data analyses of service use, 2010 to 2013