Table 3.
Characteristics of included studies
| Citation | Country | Research Design | Population and setting | Type of Communication/ Strategies | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [31] | United States | Experimental | 45 female older adults (65–101 years old) in two nursing homes in rural areas | Non-verbal (comfort touch) | Perceptions of self-esteem, well-being, health status, life satisfaction, social processes, and self-actualisation |
| [36] | Australia | Qualitative | 44 COPD patients with a mean age of 65.2 years in primary care settings | Verbal (telephone) | Physical activity, smoking cessation, psychosocial well-being, symptom management, nutrition, and alcohol |
| [34] | The Netherlands and Hungary | Qualitative (developed a communication intervention for older adults using a formative approach, which started with a literature review, followed by focus groups and role-play exercises with older people to identify their communication needs, and finally developed storylines and sketches based on their findings before testing and retesting the intervention) | 13 older adults with limited health literacy | Non-verbal (using visual aids like photos and video clips to support communication) | Acceptance of the intervention (whether appealing and comprehensible) |
| [32] | United States | Cross-sectional observational study with a follow-up assessment after four weeks | 155 old patients (65 years and above) in nurse practitioners’ offices | Non-verbal (smile, touch, gaze, eyebrow movement, and nod or shake of the head) | Patient satisfaction, intention to adhere to nursing practitioners’ recommendations, changes in presenting problems, physical health, and mental health |
| [35] | United States | Qualitative | 15 older patients in nursing homes | Non-verbal communication (listening and touching the shoulder) | Individualised care (authors hypothesised that it could lead to improve patient satisfaction, autonomy, and independence) |
| [33] | United States | Qualitative | 17 older patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities | Non-verbal communication (smiling, touching, laughing, eye gazing, shaking hands, head nodding, soft tone, and leaning forward) | Affective communication and patient’s well-being |
| [37] | Cameroon | Qualitative | Eight older patients in adult wards in two hospitals in Cameroon | Non-verbal communication (close physical distance, gentle touch, silence, and active listening) | Patient satisfaction and quality of care |