SynthesisBMC psychology2026
Distinct trajectories of emotional distress and physical health among informal dementia caregivers surrounding bereavement: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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.
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.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Understanding the Lived Experience and Bereavement of Caregivers of People with Alzheimer's Disease: A Mixed-Methods Study Protocol.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundInformal caregivers of individuals with dementia experience substantial psychological and physical burdens, with bereavement marking a critical transition. However, the longitudinal trajectories of their emotional responses remain poorly understood within conventional psychiatric frameworks. This study aimed to systematically synthesize longitudinal evidence on the emotional changes experienced by informal dementia caregivers before and after bereavement.
methodsA comprehensive search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted to identify prospective observational studies assessing emotional changes in informal dementia caregivers. Eligible studies included at least two assessment points (one pre-bereavement) and a minimum follow-up of six months. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
resultsThe analysis of seven longitudinal studies confirmed that caregivers’ experiences follow complex, multidimensional trajectories. Emotional outcomes were mixed: complicated grief tended to alleviate, depression/anxiety were heterogeneous, and loneliness tended to worsen. Notably, a trend of increased long-term depression was observed in women. The divergent trajectories between psychological recovery and physical burden were evident: role burden and mental quality of life recovered, while physical quality of life and immune function declined. Protective factors included the cessation of caregiving burden and a pre-bereavement social network.
conclusionThese findings underscore that emotional adaptation is a multidimensional phenomenon requiring support strategies tailored to timing, gender, and individual resources. Strengthening protective factors in the pre-bereavement stage and addressing persistent physical burden in the long term are critical for effective preventive management.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.