Supporting carers: Study protocol of a meta-review of psychosocial interventions for carers of people with cancer (Preprint)

Background:
While there is a clear need for psychosocial interventions that promote cancer carer wellbeing, the corresponding evidence base is disparate, complex and difficult for end-users to navigate and interpret. Carers remain under-supported with a lack of dedicated, effective, evidence-based programs. We will conduct a meta-review to synthesise this evidence and determine the state of science in this field.

Objective:
This study aims to address the question of: “What psychosocial interventions are available to promote the wellbeing of carers for people with cancer?”

Methods:
A meta-review will synthesise relevant reviews of psychosocial interventions that have been developed and/ or evaluated with carers for people with cancer. Four electronic databases (PsychInfo, Medline, CINAHL and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) will be searched for reviews published between Jan 2013 and Dec 2023. A team-based approach will be taken to screening and assessment of the returned records against the eligibility criteria to determine inclusion. Included reviews will be critically appraised using JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses. Relevant data of study characteristics, carer and patient populations, intervention details and psychosocial outcomes will be extracted, synthesised and the findings will be presented in a narrative format. This study is registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (reference: CRD42023403219).

Results:
It is anticipated that the study will be completed by April 2024.

Conclusions:
Ensuring that carers have access to evidence-based programs which promote their wellbeing as they care for loved ones is critical. This meta-review will contribute to program development and translation efforts through providing a clear picture of the cancer carer intervention evidence-base, identifying notable strengths, weaknesses, and gaps across the literature. The findings are anticipated to offer future directions to advance research in the field.