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Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial

Received: 6 December 2020     Accepted: 16 December 2020     Published: 22 December 2020
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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial interventions designed to improve the psychological distress of informal caregivers of cancer patients compared with usual care. Methods: Nine relevant databases were searched from inception to November 2020. We included randomized controlled trials focused on comparing psychosocial interventions delivered to informal cancer caregivers with usual care. Study quality was evaluated with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager statistical software. Results: Fifteen studies involving 1006 participants met the inclusion criteria, and several kinds of psychosocial interventions were applied to either cancer caregivers or patient-caregiver dyads. Compared to usual care, psychosocial interventions manifested positive, significant results in depression (SMD=-0.47, 95%CI -0.71 to -0.24, P<0.001) and anxiety (SMD=-0.50, 95%CI -0.91 to -0.09, P=0.02). And the psychosocial interventions have no significant effect on general psychological distress (SMD=-0.25, 95%CI -0.54 to 0.05, P=0.10) and subjective burden (SMD=-0.06, 95%CI -0.26 to 0.14, P=0.55) of cancer caregivers. Conclusion: Psychosocial interventions designed for cancer caregivers can effectively reduce depression and anxiety, while no significant results were found in general distress and subjective burden of cancer caregivers. More studies with stronger methodological designs and larger samples are still needed in the future.

Published in American Journal of Nursing Science (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24
Page(s) 459-465
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cancer, Caregivers, Psychosocial Intervention, Meta-analysis

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Zheng Zhang, Shanshan Wang, Ziwei Liu, Zekai Li. (2020). Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Nursing Science, 9(6), 459-465. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24

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    ACS Style

    Zheng Zhang; Shanshan Wang; Ziwei Liu; Zekai Li. Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. Am. J. Nurs. Sci. 2020, 9(6), 459-465. doi: 10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24

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    AMA Style

    Zheng Zhang, Shanshan Wang, Ziwei Liu, Zekai Li. Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Nurs Sci. 2020;9(6):459-465. doi: 10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24,
      author = {Zheng Zhang and Shanshan Wang and Ziwei Liu and Zekai Li},
      title = {Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial},
      journal = {American Journal of Nursing Science},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {459-465},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajns.20200906.24},
      abstract = {Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial interventions designed to improve the psychological distress of informal caregivers of cancer patients compared with usual care. Methods: Nine relevant databases were searched from inception to November 2020. We included randomized controlled trials focused on comparing psychosocial interventions delivered to informal cancer caregivers with usual care. Study quality was evaluated with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager statistical software. Results: Fifteen studies involving 1006 participants met the inclusion criteria, and several kinds of psychosocial interventions were applied to either cancer caregivers or patient-caregiver dyads. Compared to usual care, psychosocial interventions manifested positive, significant results in depression (SMD=-0.47, 95%CI -0.71 to -0.24, P<0.001) and anxiety (SMD=-0.50, 95%CI -0.91 to -0.09, P=0.02). And the psychosocial interventions have no significant effect on general psychological distress (SMD=-0.25, 95%CI -0.54 to 0.05, P=0.10) and subjective burden (SMD=-0.06, 95%CI -0.26 to 0.14, P=0.55) of cancer caregivers. Conclusion: Psychosocial interventions designed for cancer caregivers can effectively reduce depression and anxiety, while no significant results were found in general distress and subjective burden of cancer caregivers. More studies with stronger methodological designs and larger samples are still needed in the future.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Psychological Distress of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial
    AU  - Zheng Zhang
    AU  - Shanshan Wang
    AU  - Ziwei Liu
    AU  - Zekai Li
    Y1  - 2020/12/22
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24
    T2  - American Journal of Nursing Science
    JF  - American Journal of Nursing Science
    JO  - American Journal of Nursing Science
    SP  - 459
    EP  - 465
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5753
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20200906.24
    AB  - Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial interventions designed to improve the psychological distress of informal caregivers of cancer patients compared with usual care. Methods: Nine relevant databases were searched from inception to November 2020. We included randomized controlled trials focused on comparing psychosocial interventions delivered to informal cancer caregivers with usual care. Study quality was evaluated with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager statistical software. Results: Fifteen studies involving 1006 participants met the inclusion criteria, and several kinds of psychosocial interventions were applied to either cancer caregivers or patient-caregiver dyads. Compared to usual care, psychosocial interventions manifested positive, significant results in depression (SMD=-0.47, 95%CI -0.71 to -0.24, P<0.001) and anxiety (SMD=-0.50, 95%CI -0.91 to -0.09, P=0.02). And the psychosocial interventions have no significant effect on general psychological distress (SMD=-0.25, 95%CI -0.54 to 0.05, P=0.10) and subjective burden (SMD=-0.06, 95%CI -0.26 to 0.14, P=0.55) of cancer caregivers. Conclusion: Psychosocial interventions designed for cancer caregivers can effectively reduce depression and anxiety, while no significant results were found in general distress and subjective burden of cancer caregivers. More studies with stronger methodological designs and larger samples are still needed in the future.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • School of Nursing, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

  • School of Nursing, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

  • School of Nursing, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

  • School of Nursing, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

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