Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42271273›Full record

SynthesisBMC geriatrics2026

Components and effects of psychosocial support interventions for relatives of patients with delirium in hospitals, systematic review.

Markus Grebe, Martin Nikolaus Dichter, Richard Dano, Sascha Köpke

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Markus GrebeInstitute of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Gleueler Straße 176-178, Cologne, 50935, Germany. mgrebe3@smail.uni-koeln.de.
Martin Nikolaus DichterInstitute of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Gleueler Straße 176-178, Cologne, 50935, Germany.
Richard DanoInstitute of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Gleueler Straße 176-178, Cologne, 50935, Germany.
Sascha KöpkeInstitute of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Gleueler Straße 176-178, Cologne, 50935, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRelatives of patients with delirium are often confronted with patients' challenging behaviours such as hyperactivity, aggression, or hallucinations. As a result, feelings of anxiety and depression episodes have been described. The aim is to identify psychosocial support intervention for relatives of patients with delirium in hospitals, describe components and effects, and identify research gaps.

methodsSystematic review based on PRISMA, including psychosocial support intervention studies addressing burden and support needs of adult relatives of hospital patients with delirium. We searched the databases Medline, Web of Sience, CINAHL, Livivo, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library in 07/2024 and reference lists. We assessed reporting using TIDieR and CReDECI2 and methodological quality using ROB-1 and the JBI tool for quasi-experimental studies. We performed narrative syntheses.

resultsWe identified eight intervention studies addressing relatives of patients with delirium in different settings. Intervention components included provision of information using flyers, videos, web-sites, or telephone calls, and mentoring in the intensive care unit. Reporting of interventions was mostly poor. No study reported a process evaluation. Four of six studies showed a significant difference in relatives' delirium knowledge. For relatives' psychological outcomes, no clear effects were shown. Overall, study quality was limited.

conclusionsMore effectiveness studies are needed with better reporting of intervention components, ideally addressing psychological aspects. Feasibility and acceptance of new interventions should be described within accompanying process evaluations.

trial registrationhttps://osf.io/7jbsk .

Indexed as

DeliriumFamilyPsychosocial InterventionPsychosocial Support SystemsHospitalsHumansDeliriumDelirium managementEducationFamilyHospital

Identifiers

PMID42271273
PMCPMC13255297

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.