Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
181,716 studies31 sourcesUpdated 41 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYFrontiers in medicine

Understanding people's experiences of practising Tai Chi for health and wellbeing: a protocol for a qualitative systematic review.

  • Hanjiang Liu1
  • Weiting Liu2,3
  • Youchang Zeng4
  • Wurong Guo5
  • Shun Chen6
  • Lianyu Zou7
  • Yanting Ding8
  • Guoping Ye9,10,11
11 affiliations
  1. 1School of Qiaoxing Economics and Management, Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fuzhou, China.
  2. 2School of Nursing, Peking University, Beijing, China.
  3. 3School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
  4. 4Fujian Sports Vocational Education and Technical College, Fuzhou, China.
  5. 5Reproductive Medicine Centre, Quanzhou Women's and Children's Hospital, Quanzhou, China.
  6. 6Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China.
  7. 7Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China.
  8. 8Department of Massage, Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tai'an, China.
  9. 9Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiamen TCM Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen, China.
  10. 10Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiamen Hospital, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Xiamen, China.
  11. 11Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen, China.
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Background

Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese mind-body practice that is widely used for health promotion, rehabilitation, symptom management, and overall wellbeing. Although numerous systematic reviews have demonstrated its potential effectiveness across a range of physical and psychological outcomes, quantitative evidence alone cannot explain how individuals experience Tai Chi, why they initiate or sustain practice, or how the practice is integrated into everyday life. Existing qualitative studies have provided valuable insights into participants' experiences; however, these findings remain dispersed across different populations, health conditions, and practice settings. To date, no qualitative evidence synthesis has comprehensively integrated people's experiences of practising Tai Chi across health-related contexts.Methods

This review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for qualitative evidence synthesis using the meta-aggregation approach. A comprehensive search will be undertaken in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global from database inception to the final search date. Qualitative studies exploring people's experiences of practising Tai Chi for health and wellbeing will be eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will undertake study selection, methodological quality appraisal, and data extraction. Methodological quality will be assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, and confidence in the synthesised findings will be evaluated using the ConQual approach.Discussion

This review will provide the first comprehensive qualitative evidence synthesis of people's experiences of practising Tai Chi across diverse populations and health-related contexts. The review is expected to generate evidence that informs the person-centred design, implementation, and future evaluation of Tai Chi programmes, while identifying priorities for future research.Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO CRD420261473258.

Related

  1. Informal carers’ experiences of mental health services regarding supporting those they care for and getting support for their own wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review of qualitative evidence
    Xiaoye Liu, Phoebe Barnett, Patrick Nyikavaranda +2
    PLOS Mental HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textNeurosciencePsychiatry & mental healthPLOS
  2. Understanding the influence and acceptability of health and wellbeing coaching in underserved populations: a qualitative systematic review.
    Ian Litchfield, Christine Burt, N Gardner +9
    BMC public healthPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textEpidemiology & public healthEurope PMC
  3. Nurses’ experiences of delivering palliative care in Asia: a qualitative systematic review
    Agung Subakti Nuzulullail, Halfie Zaqiyah Gusti Puspitasari, Dwina Oktavia Deli +3
    Journal of Research in NursingPeer-reviewedLicence not statedFull textEpidemiology & public healthPMC
  4. Exploring the lived experiences of women with breast cancer across the care continuum: a systematic meta-aggregative qualitative review protocol.
    Seemela Desiree Malope, Maureen Joffe, Shane Norris +4
    BMJ openPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textOncologyEurope PMCCrossref
  5. Understanding Inpatient Falls From the Patient Perspective Across the Hospitalisation Trajectory: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis
    Tomoko Oto, Masashi Uramatsu, Yoshikazu Fujisawa
    Journal of Patient ExperiencePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineDOAJ

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{liu2026understanding,
  title = {{Understanding people's experiences of practising Tai Chi for health and wellbeing: a protocol for a qualitative systematic review.}},
  author = {Hanjiang Liu and Weiting Liu and Youchang Zeng and Wurong Guo and Shun Chen and Lianyu Zou and Yanting Ding and Guoping Ye},
  journal = {Frontiers in medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fmed.2026.1962809},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908934},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Understanding people's experiences of practising Tai Chi for health and wellbeing: a protocol for a qualitative systematic review.
AU  - Hanjiang Liu
AU  - Weiting Liu
AU  - Youchang Zeng
AU  - Wurong Guo
AU  - Shun Chen
AU  - Lianyu Zou
AU  - Yanting Ding
AU  - Guoping Ye
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
JO  - Frontiers in medicine
DO  - 10.3389/fmed.2026.1962809
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908934
AB  - Background  Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese mind-body practice that is widely used for health promotion, rehabilitation, symptom management, and overall wellbeing. Although numerous systematic reviews have demonstrated its potential effectiveness across a range of physical and psychological outcomes, quantitative evidence alone cannot explain how individuals experience Tai Chi, why they initiate or sustain practice, or how the practice is integrated into everyday life. Existing qualitative studies have provided valuable insights into participants' experiences; however, these findings remain dispersed across different populations, health conditions, and practice settings. To date, no qualitative evidence synthesis has comprehensively integrated people's experiences of practising Tai Chi across health-related contexts.Methods  This review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for qualitative evidence synthesis using the meta-aggregation approach. A comprehensive search will be undertaken in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global from database inception to the final search date. Qualitative studies exploring people's experiences of practising Tai Chi for health and wellbeing will be eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will undertake study selection, methodological quality appraisal, and data extraction. Methodological quality will be assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, and confidence in the synthesised findings will be evaluated using the ConQual approach.Discussion  This review will provide the first comprehensive qualitative evidence synthesis of people's experiences of practising Tai Chi across diverse populations and health-related contexts. The review is expected to generate evidence that informs the person-centred design, implementation, and future evaluation of Tai Chi programmes, while identifying priorities for future research.Systematic review registration  https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO CRD420261473258.
SN  - 2296-858X
ER  -