Predictors of Informal Caregiver Burden in Parkinson’s: A Systematic Review

<p dir="ltr">Background: Caregivers of people with Parkinson’s disease are at risk of experiencing caregiver<br>burden. Understanding contributing factors is required to develop appropriate<br>targeted interventions and support for this group. This systematic review provides an<br>updated appraisal and synthesis of quantitative studies assessing predictors of<br>burden among informal caregivers of people with Parkinson’s.<br>Method: Five electronic databases (APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and<br>Cochrane Library) were systematically searched (from inception until July 2024),<br>supplemented by hand-searches. Study quality was assessed using the cross-<br>sectional JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Results were synthesised narratively.<br>Results: Forty-one studies were included. Predictors of increased burden included greater<br>impact of motor symptoms on ADLs, greater severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms,<br>poorer quality of life of the person with Parkinson’s, and poorer caregiver mental<br>health. Demographics, presence of motor symptoms, motor complications, and<br>general cognitive function did not predict burden. Evidence was inconclusive for<br>several variables including disease stage and duration, motor symptom severity,<br>functional ability, overall non-motor symptoms, mental health of the person with<br>Parkinson’s, and caregivers’ involvement and protective factors.<br>Conclusion: Several areas for potential future intervention are indicated, although<br>methodological weaknesses within the literature constrain the robustness of<br>conclusions. Key areas for future research include exploring understudied variables<br>(caregiver personality and coping style, relationship quality, and positive aspects of<br>caregiving) that may be important predictors of burden, specifying and utilising a<br>more consistent definition of “informal caregiver”, and recruiting younger and non-<br>spousal caregivers and more diverse samples regarding disease severity.</p>