TDNet Discover

Background: Informal caregivers are individuals who provide consistent, unpaid support to family members in need. These caregivers face significant mental, physical, and financial burdens with long-term consequences. Despite well-documented stress and health impacts, a significant gap remains in identifying and implementing effective caregiver-centered interventions to address these challenges. Purpose: This research evaluated existing literature on interventions targeting informal caregivers of children to identify effective strategies for reducing caregiver burden. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Three databases were searched using a combination of keywords. Studies from the past 10 years were included if they addressed interventions for caregivers of individuals under 30 years old. These articles were quality assessed with CASP and NHLBI tools. A data extraction tool was utilized to perform the qualitative analysis of the included studies. Grey literature was extracted through a general internet search. Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria and provided both quantitative/s, fear of disease progression, quality of life, positive thinking, financial stability, time, and support were evaluated through various interventions. These interventions included: telehealth, coordinated care models, family-based support, psychoeducation, mindfulness, and respite services. Most studies showed significant short- to medium-term improvements across multiple outcomes. However, long-term data was inconsistent beyond 6 months. Conclusion: Evidence supports that interventions, particularly those delivered via telehealth and integrated into coordinated care models, can alleviate caregiver burden. However, standardization, accessibility, and long-term evaluation remain limited. These resources should iv be more visible and accessible, as grey literature shows they are difficult to find. There are few resources available for caregivers of children, highlighting a key gap in the literature. Future research should prioritize long-term and ongoing use of interventions tailored specifically to the needs of informal caregivers of children.