title: Identifying gaps in knowledge: A map of the qualitative literature concerning life with a neurological condition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe patterns in the qualitative literature regarding the everyday experience of living with a neurological condition; to identify areas of depth as well as gaps in the existing knowledge base.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive search of the literature yielded 474 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Data extraction, based on scrutiny of both abstract and full text article included country of origin, diagnosis, stated aim, methodological framework/design, participants, and data collection method(s). Studies were categorized into 27 topics within four broad foci.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four broad foci describe the field: impact and management, daily activities and occupations, impact on family, and the healthcare experience. Overall the research is unevenly distributed by diagnosis; some are well represented while others are the subject of little research. Even diagnoses well represented in quantity can be limited in breadth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Possible explanations for the patterns of emphasis include: a focus on issues and problems, highlighted points of contact between patients and healthcare providers, and ability of participants to voice their views. The literature is also characterized by limited across diagnoses research or that comparing the experience of people with different diagnoses. There is a need for more research in particular diagnoses; more varied data collection methods and acknowledgement of ethnicity, gender, discrimination, and social inequalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada asa.audulv@miun.se.
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Audulv
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Packer
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Versnel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001315:Australia; D015706:Bibliometrics; D002170:Canada; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013548:Sweden; D014481:United States
keywords: Neurological condition; everyday life; literature review; qualitative; research evaluation