Burden of Care and Quality of Life Among Caregivers for Adults Receiving Maintenance Dialysis: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE\nDialysis is a burdensome and complex treatment for which many recipients require support from caregivers. The impact of caring for people dependent on dialysis on the quality of life of the caregivers has been incompletely characterized.\n\n\nSTUDY DESIGN\nSystematic review of quantitative studies of quality of life and burden to caregivers.\n\n\nSETTING & STUDY POPULATION\nCaregivers of adults receiving maintenance dialysis.\n\n\nSELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES\nThe Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and MEDLINE were systematically searched from inception until December 2016 for quantitative studies of caregivers. Pediatric and non-English language studies were excluded. Study quality was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale.\n\n\nDATA EXTRACTION\n2 independent reviewers selected studies and extracted data using a prespecified extraction instrument.\n\n\nANALYTICAL APPROACH\nDescriptive reports of demographics, measurement scales, and outcomes. Quantitative meta-analysis using random effects when possible.\n\n\nRESULTS\n61 studies were identified that included 5,367 caregivers from 21 countries and assessed the impact on caregivers using 70 different scales. Most (85%) studies were cross-sectional. The largest identified group of caregivers was female spouses who cared for recipients of facility-based hemodialysis (72.3%) or peritoneal dialysis (20.6%). Caregiver quality of life was poorer than in the general population, mostly comparable with caregivers of people with other chronic diseases, and often better than experienced by the dialysis patients cared for. Caregiver quality of life was comparable across dialysis modalities.\n\n\nLIMITATIONS\nHeterogeneity in study design and outcome measures made comparisons between studies difficult and precluded quantitative meta-analysis. Study quality was generally poor.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nQuality of life of caregivers of dialysis recipients is poorer than in the general population and comparable to that of caregivers of individuals with other chronic diseases. The impact of caring for recipients of home hemodialysis or changes in the impact of caring over time have not been well studied. Further research is needed to optimally inform dialysis programs how to educate and support caregivers.