Care Management in Scientific Production in Integrative Oncology in Latin America: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Introduction: Including traditional, complementary and integrative medicines in national health systems is a point of discussion worldwide. This article focuses on the theme within the scope of oncology in Latin America. Objective: To analyze the health care management dimensions included in scientific production in integrative oncology in Latin America. Materials and method: This is an integrative literature review carried out in the LILACS, Mosaico, IBECS, PubMed and Embase databases, whose guiding question was prepared according to The PRISMA 2020 Statement recommendations. The search occurred by the association of free terms related to the descriptors “Integrative Oncology,” “Complementary Therapies,” “Health Care,” “Care Management,” and “Countries That Make Up Latin America”. Data were interpreted from the conceptual perspective of health care management dimensions. Results: The study selection process identified 206 studies. The final sample was made up of eight articles available online in full, published between 2017 and 2022 in Portuguese, Spanish or English. Articles were developed in Brazil (n = 4), Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay (n = 1, respectively). There was a predominance of the individual health care management dimension as the focus of analyzed studies. The “professional,” “family,” “societal,” and “organizational” dimensions were presented in the discussion of results. Conclusions: Despite the insufficiency of studies, analysis of interdependence between dimensions indicates the complexity of the management process for integrating traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in oncological care in Latin America, which suggests an epistemology in the construction process.