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The Effectiveness of Targeted Palliative Care Interventions for Informal
Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients on Their Depression, Quality of Life
and Caregiver Burden: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

1
Q. Yan and X. Hu 2

1 Department of Nursing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University,
China, and Department of Nursing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing,
2
Sichuan University/Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, City of Future Medicine, China

Background: For those with advanced cancer, informal caregivers are essential sources of support. In recent
years, a number of supportive interventions for informal caregivers have been developed. However, few
comprehensive integrated analyses of targeted palliative interventions have been performed thus far, and
discrepancies still exist between the conclusions.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of targeted palliative care interventions on depression, quality of life and
caregiver burden in informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients, along with the consequences of various
intervention types.

Methods: A extensive search was carried out across eight databases, namely, PubMed, Embase, CLNAHL,
PsyclNFO, Cochrane, VIP, CNKI, and WANFANG, spanning from the inception of the library to November 1, 2023. The
meta-analysis was conducted utilizing the StataCorp (version 16.0), estimating the impacts of the interventions
through the computation of the standardized mean difference (SMD) and the 95% confidence interval (CI).
Sensitivity analysis and Egger’s test were also conducted.

Results: According to the meta-analysis results, the targeted palliative care interventions significantly
improved quality of life(SMD= 0.27, 95% CI: [0.07, 0.47], P< 0.01) and depression(SMD= -0.46, 95% CI: [-0.74, -0.17],
P< 0.01) among informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients, but not caregiver burden(SMD= -0.40, 95% CI:
Oral Presentation Abstracts
[-0.86, 0.06], P= 0.09). A link between short-term therapies lasting less than three months and the alleviation of
depression was found. Interventions that target dyadics were effective in reducing depression, whereas those
focused only on caregivers significantly improved quality of life. E-health interventions can successfully lessen
depression levels, while mixed-method interventions can both enhance quality of life and reduce depression.

Conclusion: The targeted palliative care interventions effectively improved informal caregivers’ depression
and quality of life, yet they fail to markedly lessen the caregiver burden. To better support informal caregivers,
interveners should adopt personalized strategies based on comprehensive consideration of the duration, format,
and delivery methods of the interventions.

Keywords: palliative care, advanced cancer, informal caregiver, depression, quality of life, caregiver burden,
meta-analysis

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Correspondence: Xiaolin Hu, Department of Nursing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West
China School of Nursing, Sichuan University/Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, City of Future Medicine, China
E-mail: huxiaolin1220@126.com

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