Narrative as a strategy for understanding the experience of chronic illness: a literature review

Abstract This article aims to explore, in available literature, the use of narrative in studies of chronic illness. It is hoped that this study in addition to knowing how to have been the use of narrative in studies, contribute to the care of people with chronic illness. Methodologically, the study consists of a literature review of qualitative nature, focusing on articles with the Virtual Health Library descriptors (VHL). In terms of results, three stand out meanings attributed to the use of narrative by the authors: technique to get testimonies, research method and specific type of testimony; and in terms of the main results attributed by the authors with the use of narrative, are evident two themes: the experience of chronic illness in the subject ill perspective, highlighting the search for meaning, reframing the chronicity and coping strategies; and the possibility of understanding chronic illness, by professionals from the experience of the subject ill. It is verified, in the analyzed studies, that the use of the narrative itself or the narration process can make possible the resignification of the process of illness by the subjects and point out strategies for care management in chronic illness.