Do Interventions Meet the Needs of Caregivers of Cardiac Patients?

Abstract

Background Interventions targeting the needs of caregivers of cardiac patients are few, and in most cases, no effect is found on caregivers' well-being. A closer look at the existing interventions will provide a solid foundation for future efforts to develop effective interventions targeted at caregivers of cardiac patients. Objective The study's objective was to scrutinize and discuss interventions targeting caregivers of cardiac patients and contribute to reflections that will improve future interventions. Methods Systematic scoping of the literature within the field was conducted through a literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library from January 2011 to May 2022. The development of search terms and inclusion criteria was inspired by the Patient problem/population, Intervention, Comparison/Control, and Outcome approach, and the Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions served as the underlying basis for the analysis. Results Eleven articles were included. The interventions reported in the articles were generally not systematically developed and did not include field-specific, methodological, and theoretical reflections. Furthermore, the development process behind the studies seemed not to be transparent. Conclusions Lack of systematic methodology and methodological transparency in the reviewed studies hinders further testing of interventions and might explain lack of evidence for effective interventions within the field. More systematic, needs-based, and well-documented interventions targeting caregivers of various kinds of cardiac patients are needed to develop the field to the benefit of caregivers, patients, and society.