Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32429888›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2020

Equity and the financial costs of informal caregiving in palliative care: a critical debate.

Clare Gardiner, Jackie Robinson, Michael Connolly, Claire Hulme, Kristy Kang, Christine Rowland, Phil Larkin, David Meads, Tessa Morgan, Merryn Gott

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
43citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

43 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  12. Psychological wellbeing among parents of a child living with a serious chronic illness: A cross-sectional survey study.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Clare GardinerHealth Sciences School, Division of Nursing & Midwifery, The University of Sheffield, Barber House Annexe, 3a Clarkehouse Road, Sheffield, S10 2LA, UK. c.gardiner@sheffield.ac.uk.
Jackie RobinsonSchool of Nursing, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Michael ConnollySchool of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Claire HulmeInstitute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Kristy KangSchool of Nursing, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Christine RowlandSchool of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Phil LarkinInstitute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare - IUFRS, University of Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
David MeadsAcademic Unit of Health Economics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Tessa MorganDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Merryn GottSchool of Nursing, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Funding

World Universities Network (WUN) n/a
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInformal caregivers represent the foundation of the palliative care workforce and are the main providers of end of life care. Financial pressures are among the most serious concerns for many carers and the financial burden of end of life caregiving can be substantial.

methodsThe aim of this critical debate paper was to review and critique some of the key evidence on the financial costs of informal caregiving and describe how these costs represent an equity issue in palliative care.

resultsThe financial costs of informal caregiving at the end of life can be significant and include carer time costs, out of pocket costs and employment related costs. Financial burden is associated with a range of negative outcomes for both patient and carer. Evidence suggests that the financial costs of caring are not distributed equitably. Sources of inequity are reflective of those influencing access to specialist palliative care and include diagnosis (cancer vs non-cancer), socio-economic status, gender, cultural and ethnic identity, and employment status. Effects of intersectionality and the cumulative effect of multiple risk factors are also a consideration.

conclusionsVarious groups of informal end of life carers are systematically disadvantaged financially. Addressing these, and other, determinants of end of life care is central to a public health approach to palliative care that fully recognises the value of carers. Further research exploring these areas of inequity in more depth and gaining a more detailed understanding of what influences financial burden is required to take the next steps towards meeting this aspiration. We will address the conclusions and recommendations we have made in this paper through the work of our recently established European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) Taskforce on the financial costs of family caregiving.

Indexed as

CaregiversFemaleHealth Care CostsHumansMaleMiddle AgedPalliative CarePatient CareCaregiverCostsEconomicEnd of life careEquityFamily carerFinancialInequityInformal carerPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID32429888
PMCPMC7236957

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.