"An integrative review...summarizes past empirical or theoretical literature to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a particular phenomenon or healthcare problem (Broome 1993). Integrative reviews, thus, have the potential to build nursing science, informing research, practice, and policy initiatives. The integrative review method...allows for the inclusion of diverse methodologies (i.e. experimental and non-experimental research)" (Whittemore and Knafl, 2005).
Integrative reviews are used primarily in nursing research, though other health sciences disciplines like occupational therapy and public health have published integrative reviews as well.
Researchers are publishing integrative reviews at an increasing rate. A CINAHL search found 300 integrative reviews published by 2010 while 2298 were published by 2019. Duquesne researchers have published a number of integrative reviews, as shown in this EBSCO search.
Other names for integrative reviews include IR, Integrative Literature Review, Systematic Integrative Review.