What does the term "narrative review" mean?

The term "narrative review" refers to a summary and synthesis of existing research literature that does not follow the structured and systematic methodology characteristic of a systematic review. Narrative reviews provide a general overview of a particular topic by compiling findings and insights from various studies, discussing themes, and presenting a broad perspective. This type of review is particularly useful for highlighting trends, identifying gaps in research, and providing context but lacks the rigorous protocols of a systematic review, which involves predefined research questions, a comprehensive search strategy, and explicit criteria for study selection.

While the other options describe different types of research approaches, they do not accurately capture the essence of a narrative review. For instance, a detailed statistical analysis of data typically involves quantitative methods, while a systematic exploration of multiple studies follows a structured protocol that ensures comprehensiveness and replicability. A review that focuses solely on qualitative data may include narrative synthesis but is not specifically defined as a narrative review in the broader context of literature synthesis.