The challenge of identifying family carers in general practice at an early stage and measuring their burden: A scoping review of possible tools and their actual use

Abstract

Informal care, provided unpaid by family members or friends is a crucial source for providing care at home due to chronic illnesses, disability, or long-lasting health issues. An increasing burden on informal carers largely determines the already proven negative mental and physical health effects. General practitioners are usually responsible for recognizing the effects of persistent burdens on informal carers at an early stage to maintain a functional caring relationship by providing individual support. A scoping review was conducted in four databases (PubMed, LIVIVO, Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL]) until July 31, 2023, to identify studies describing the actual use of tools to identify informal care and measure the burden due to informal care. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed to select studies. A total of 5.686 references were identified, and 59 potentially eligible articles were assessed for inclusion, resulting in the inclusion of five studies published between 2009 and 2019. Instruments were primarily used to measure burden after an intervention; only one study focused on instruments to identify carers in general practice. This review highlights the need for a tool to identify informal carers in general practice, but it is important to consider practice-specific processes and settings. Future research should take a proactive approach to testing, modifying, and implementing an assessment and optimizing framework conditions. A follow-up project should be initiated to evaluate the effectiveness of an adapted identification tool on the burden and health of family carers.

Keywords

• burden
• caring relatives
• general practice
• informal care