Type construction in qualitative health research and its relevance in complementary and integrative medicine. Two studies about patients' experiences with herbal medicine preparations

In this article, we explore the method of type construction in qualitative health research in the field of complementary and integrative medicine. We applied type construction to research questions in phytotherapy about the everyday life experiences of patients using two specific herbal medicine preparations. In total, 21 patients participated in two consecutive qualitative studies. The collected data incorporated patient diaries, face-to-face interviews and pre- and posttreatment questionnaires. A type construction approach was applied for data analysis. In the Passiflora-study, three distinct biographical narrative types attributed to different experiences when using a specific ethanolic extract of Passiflora incarnata were identified. In the Angelica-study, four types of thematic dimensions of experiences with a specific ethanolic extract of Angelica archangelica were identified. Type construction in qualitative health research can contribute to evidence-based phytotherapy and complementary and integrative medicine in general by supporting shared decision making and individualized treatment approaches.