AUTHOR=McCall Becky , Shallcross Laura , Wilson Michael , Fuller Chris , Hayward Andrew 

TITLE=Storytelling as a Research Tool Used to Explore Insights and as an Intervention in Public Health: A Systematic Narrative Review

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 66 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2021.1604262

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2021.1604262

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objectives Studies of storytelling (ST) used as a research tool to extract information and/or as an intervention to effect change in the public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour/practice (KAB/P) were sought and analysed. 
Methods Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, Art and Humanities database, Scopus, Google Scholar were searched and a basic and broad quantitative analysis was performed, followed by an in-depth narrative synthesis of studies on carefully selected topics. 
Results 3,077 studies were identified. 145 studies entered quantitative analysis (cancer and cancer screening (32/145), HIV (32/145), mental health (10/145), vaccination (8/145), climate change (3/145)).  Ten studies entered final analysis (HIV/AIDs (5) climate change (1), sexual health (3), croup (1)). ST techniques included digital ST (DST); written ST; verbal ST, and professional writers. Seven/10 studies used ST to change KAB/P; the remainder used ST to extract insights. Follow-up and evaluation were very limited. 
Conclusions ST reveals insights and serves as an intervention in public health. Benefits of ST largely outweigh the limitations, but more follow-up/evaluation is needed. ST should play a more significant role in tackling public health issues.