A systematic review of interventions for carers in the UK: outcomes and explanatory evidence

Author:
VICTOR Elizabeth
Publisher:
Princess Royal Trust for Carers
Publication year:
2009
Pagination:
164p.
Place of publication:
Woodford Green

Government policies of community care rely upon the contribution of carers who look after ill, disabled or frail family members on an unpaid basis. There is a need to support carers in their role in order to address the potentially negative outcomes which caring can have. This review considered interventions designed to support carers. It examined what is known about the outcomes of interventions for carers, and what explanatory evidence exists about how interventions support carers and the contextual factors which influence outcomes. The review is limited to interventions directly targeted at carers, rather than those aimed principally at the person who is receiving care which may also benefit carers. The interventions covered include: those concerned with supporting carers to access services; those targeted at carers’ physical health; interventions focused upon emotional and social support; education and training for carers; employment-related interventions; and carer breaks. The review included 107 studies offering some measurement of intervention outcomes for carers. Of these, 69 studies also included some explanatory evidence about how outcomes were produced and/or the contextual factors which influenced the achievement of outcomes. The majority of outcome measurement studies were rated as weak on the quality appraisal tool used. However, over 40 per cent used longitudinal designs which allowed change in outcomes over time to be assessed.

Subject terms:
informal care, intervention, outcomes, short break care, training, carers;
Content type:
systematic review
Location(s):
England
Link:
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ISBN print:
978 0 85358 252 6

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