What is an integrative review, and how does it differ from a scoping or systematic review?
Integrative reviews are a specific type of knowledge syntheses in the health sciences, and are a common publication in the field of nursing.
An integrative review is a type of literature review designed to provide an opportunity to synthesize knowledge produced by multiple methodologies and sampling strategies which differentiate it from meta-analysis, systematic reviews and qualitative reviews (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005).
Adelphi University provides a great summary of what integrative reviews are and what their process entails:
"An integrative review provides a broader summary of the literature and includes findings from a range of research designs. It gathers and synthesizes both empirical and theoretical evidence relevant to a clearly defined problem. It may include case studies, observational studies, and meta-analyses, but may also include practice applications, theory, and guidelines. It is the only approach that allows for the combination of diverse methodologies. Its aim is to develop a holistic understanding of the topic, present the state of the science and contribute to theory development."
"Integrative reviews are popular in nursing because they use diverse data sources to investigate the complexity of nursing practice. An integrative review addresses the current state of the evidence, the quality of the available evidence, identifies gaps in the literature and suggests future directions for research and practice The clinical question(s) of an integrative review is broader than that of a systematic review, yet should be clearly stated and well-defined. As with a systematic review, an integrative review requires a transparent and rigorous systematic approach (Toronto & Remington, 2020)."
Read more here: Adelphi's guide and University of Toronto guide.