Preventive healthcare behavior: A hybrid systematic literature review (1998–2023)

Abstract

Preventive healthcare behavior (PHB) refers to actions taken by consumers to avert possible incidences of lifestyle diseases. Over the years, diverse approaches have been used to comprehend the complex nature of PHB. This paper follows a three-step process to examine work done in the PHB domain. At the outset, past literature was examined. This review included PHB models and frameworks, followed by a root-cause analysis to identify factors that impacted PHB adoption. A systematic literature review (SLR) using a domain-based hybrid review approach was the study's third and most crucial part. The SPAR-4-SLR (scientific procedures and rationales for systematic literature reviews) protocol was used to conduct the hybrid review, involving two separate review studies. In the first study, a bibliometric analysis was carried out, wherein a trend analysis was conducted on an initial pool of 1011 primary peer-reviewed publications (1998–2023). The trend analysis was followed by a co-citation network analysis of 39,608 secondary articles, which validated the importance of primary articles as indicated by the co-citations in these secondary articles. Further, a purification process based on reliability, validity, and replicability criteria resulted in a final pool of 190 relevant articles. These articles were subjected to a thematic analysis. Next, a framework-based review based on the theories, contexts, characteristics, and methods (TCCM) framework was conducted on the 190 articles. This step validated the primary study findings. Additionally, it examined and reported the underlying theories, context (country level), characteristics, and methods adopted by previous PHB studies. This analysis helps in indicating the future research agenda regarding PHB. Furthermore, the inferences drawn from the two studies were used to propose a conceptual framework for understanding consumers' PHB decisions based on the antecedents, decisions, and outcomes (ADO) framework. The framework posits that specific personal, demographic, cultural, social and socioeconomic factors are precursors to PHB adoption. This PHB adoption, in turn, has positive outcomes such as enhanced quality of life, consumer wellbeing, health promotion, health behavior change, and planning. The comprehensive review and proposed framework will significantly help advance knowledge about PHB. Apart from contributing to the academic literature, learnings from this study hold value for practitioners at the global level for designing actionable strategies for preventive healthcare products and services.