SynthesisFrontiers in public health2026
Effectiveness of interventions for caregiver burden and quality of life of informal caregivers of stroke survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Informal caregivers, who play a pivotal role in post-stroke care, frequently report substantial caregiver burden and reduced quality of life (QoL), which may adversely affect caregiving capacity and stroke rehabilitation outcomes. However, evidence regarding effective interventions to lessen caregiver burden and improve the QoL of informal caregivers remains fragmented. Aims: This study aimed to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of interventions for reducing the caregiver burden and improving the QoL of informal caregivers of stroke survivors. Methods: A systematic search of eight databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) was conducted until June 18, 2026. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English were included if they investigated the caregiver burden or QoL of informal caregivers of stroke survivors. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2.0) was used to assess the risk of bias in the eligible studies. Random-effects meta-analyses using the DerSimonian-Laird method were conducted to pool data on caregiver burden and QoL. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the defined intervention characteristics. Results: Overall, 39 RCTs involving 3,096 informal caregivers of stroke survivors were included in this analysis. Meta-analyses showed that standalone (psycho)education yielded the largest effect size in reducing the caregiver burden ( Conclusion: Standalone (psycho)education demonstrated the largest pooled effect estimate for reducing caregiver burden and improving the QoL of informal caregivers of stroke survivors. These findings hold important clinical and practical implications for healthcare professionals by informing the design and implementation of caregiver-support interventions. Further high-quality studies are warranted to confirm these findings and identify the optimal intervention package. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/register/TemplatePreview, identifier: CRD420251152425.
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