--- title: "Integrating narrative into health care decision making. | Sutter Health" description: "Ilustrate how narratives shape decision-making and explain why it's difficult but necessary to integrate qualitative narrative research into health sciences." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/integrate-narrative-in-healthcare-decision-making-1055312429" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Integrating narrative into health care decision making. # The importance of integrating narrative into health care decision making. Dohan D, Garrett SB, Rendle KA, Halley M, & Abramson C. _Health Aff (Millwood). 35(4):720-5. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1373._ 2016-04-01 ## Abstract When making health care decisions, patients and consumers use data but also gather stories from family and friends. When advising patients, clinicians consult the medical evidence but also use professional judgment. These stories and judgments, as well as other forms of narrative, shape decision making but remain poorly understood. Furthermore, qualitative research methods to examine narrative are rarely included in health science research. We illustrate how narratives shape decision making and explain why it is difficult but necessary to integrate qualitative research on narrative into the health sciences. We draw on social-scientific insights on rigorous qualitative research and our ongoing studies of decision making by patients with cancer, and we describe new tools and approaches that link qualitative research findings with the predominantly quantitative health science scholarship. Finally, we highlight the benefits of more fully integrating qualitative research and narrative analysis into the medical evidence base and into evidence-based medical practice. [PubMed abstract](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27044974) ## Research topics - [All Cancer](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22All+Cancer%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Evolving goals of care discussions as described in interviews with individuals with advanced cancer and oncology and palliative care teams.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/goals-of-care-discussions-in-advanced-cancer-1055312861) Dillon EC, Meehan A, Nasrallah C, Lai S, Colocci N, Luft H. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 1049909120969202. doi: 10.1177/1049909120969202. 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Med Decis Making. pii: 0272989X16640488. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Apr 06 - Publication ### [The Healthcare Systems Research Network (HCSRN) as an environment for dissemination and implementation research: a case study of developing a multi-site research study in precision medicine.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/hcsrn-as-environment-for-implementation-research-1055312447) Rahm AK, Ladd I, Burnett-Hartman AN, Epstein MM, Lowery JT, Lu CY, Pawloski PA, Sharaf RN, Liang SY, Hunter JE. EGEMS (Wash DC). 7(1):16. doi: 10.5334/egems.283. 2019 Apr 12 - Publication ### [Beyond barriers: fundamental 'disconnects' underlying the treatment of breast cancer patients' sexual health.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/disconnects-in-breast-cancer-tx-and-sexual-health-1055312906) Halley MC, May SG, Rendle KA, Frosch DL, Kurian AW. Cult Health Sex. 1-12. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2014 Aug 20 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/integrate-narrative-in-healthcare-decision-making-1055312429#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Integrating narrative into health care decision making."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/integrate-narrative-in-healthcare-decision-making-1055312429#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"The importance of integrating narrative into health care decision making.","headline":"Integrating narrative into health care decision making.","abstract":"When making health care decisions, patients and consumers use data but also gather stories from family and friends. When advising patients, clinicians consult the medical evidence but also use professional judgment. These stories and judgments, as well as other forms of narrative, shape decision making but remain poorly understood. Furthermore, qualitative research methods to examine narrative are rarely included in health science research. We illustrate how narratives shape decision making and explain why it is difficult but necessary to integrate qualitative research on narrative into the health sciences. We draw on social-scientific insights on rigorous qualitative research and our ongoing studies of decision making by patients with cancer, and we describe new tools and approaches that link qualitative research findings with the predominantly quantitative health science scholarship. 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