Application of magic in healthcare: A scoping review

Study DesignScoping review.IntroductionThe art and science of magic traces back to ancient days. Physicians are often compared to magicians metaphorically. Nonetheless, there exist various genuine applications of magic in the healthcare setting.PurposeTo explore and summarize the literature reporting the applications of magic tricks or any derived techniques in healthcare or clinical environments. Methods: A literature search was performed on ten databases: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PEDro, Scopus, the International Index to Performing Arts, General OneFile and Newstand, to identify references related to the application of magic in healthcare. Relevant studies were charted, categorized, and summarized.Results29 relevant references were found, consisting of 20 peer-reviewed publications and nine popular literature articles. Five distinct applications of magic in the clinical setting were identified. The literature showed an overall lack of academic evidence.