Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40676719›Full record

SynthesisPalliative & supportive care2025

Effects of web-based interventions on cancer caregivers' burden and quality of life: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Myoungsuk Kim, Kelly R Tan, Lorinda Adaire Coombs

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Palliative & supportive care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
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

3 authors.

Myoungsuk KimCollege of Nursing, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-Si, Gangwon-Do, South Korea, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1495-5153
Kelly R TanSchool of Nursing, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4289-3188
Lorinda Adaire CoombsSchool of Nursing, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAs cancer incidence and survival rates rise, caregivers responsible for providing diverse support face increased burden and reduced quality of life (QoL). Although research on web-based interventions for this group is expanding, the impact of these interventions on caregiver burden and QoL remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of web-based interventions on the caregiver burden and QoL of caregivers of patients with cancer.

methodsSearches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO from database inception to 10 June 2024. Two reviewers independently assessed each study and extracted data. The risk-of-bias in the studies was evaluated using Cochrane's Risk-of-Bias tool for randomized controlled trials. The intervention effects were calculated using R package Meta version 4.0.3, utilizing standardized mean differences (SMD; Hedge's ĝ) to calculate pooled effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Publication bias assessment and sensitivity analysis were conducted to ensure the robustness of the results.

resultsWe reviewed 13 randomized controlled trials; our analysis indicated a small effect size of web-based interventions on caregiver burden (SMD = -0.19, 95% CI: -0.36 to -0.01). However, sensitivity analysis concluded that the effect was very small or nearly absent. Additionally, there was no statistically significant effect on QoL (SMD = 0.15, 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.36). SIGNIFICANCE OF

resultsWeb-based interventions did not significantly reduce caregiver burden or improve caregivers' QoL. To improve caregiver burden and QoL in the future, comprehensive and tailored web-based interventions for this population are needed.

Indexed as

CaregiversInternet-Based InterventionNeoplasmsQuality of LifeCost of IllnessHumansInternetcancercaregiver burdenInternet-based interventionmeta-analysisquality of life

Identifiers

PMID40676719
PMCPMC13166587

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.