Gender differences in research samples of family carers of adults with cancer: a systematic review

Abstract

Rising global demand for informal care makes it increasingly important to have a comprehensive understanding of carers’ experiences. However, research is thought to be skewed towards women’s experience, leading some to call men ‘forgotten carers’. A systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines was conducted to assess the gender balance of study samples of family carers of someone living with cancer. A total of 82 articles involving 14,352 participants were reviewed. Overall, 35.5 per cent of participants were men and 64.5 per cent were women. Researchers should seek to overcome barriers to men’s participation in carer research in order to ensure the experiences of male and female carers are recognised through research.