What is a narrative review?

A narrative review is defined as a literature summary that does not adhere to a systematic approach. This type of review synthesizes existing research on a particular topic, providing an overview of the current state of knowledge, trends, and themes. Unlike systematic reviews, which follow a rigorous methodology to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased selection and analysis of studies, narrative reviews are more flexible and may incorporate a more subjective selection of literature.

While narrative reviews can provide valuable insights by pulling together various findings, they do not systematically assess the quality or applicability of the included studies, which limits their ability to make definitive conclusions based on the existing evidence. Therefore, the nature of narrative reviews is less about systematic data analysis and more focused on summarizing existing research in a cohesive narrative form.