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A meta-review of stress, coping and interventions in dementia and dementia caregiving
Gilhooly KJ, Gilhooly ML, Sullivan MP, McIntyre A, Wilson L, Harding E, Woodbridge R, Crutch S.. BMC geriatrics, 2016-05-18
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Results The meta-review identified 45 systematic reviews, of which 15 were meta-analyses. Thirty one reviews addressed the effects of interventions and 14 addressed the results of correlational studies of factors associated with stress and coping. Overall, benefits in terms of psychological measures of mental health and depression were generally found for the use of problem focused coping strategies and acceptance and social-emotional support coping strategies. Poor outcomes were associated with wishful thinking, denial, and avoidance coping strategies. Conclusions This meta-review supports the conclusion that being a caregiver for people with dementia is associated with psychological stress and physical ill-health. Negative outcomes for caregivers were associated with wishful thinking, denial and avoidance coping strategies.
Key findings
- Results The meta-review identified 45 systematic reviews, of which 15 were meta-analyses.
- Thirty one reviews addressed the effects of interventions and 14 addressed the results of correlational studies of factors associated with stress and coping.
- Overall, benefits in terms of psychological measures of mental health and depression were generally found for the use of problem focused coping strategies and acceptance and social-emotional support coping strategies.
- Poor outcomes were associated with wishful thinking, denial, and avoidance coping strategies.
- Conclusions This meta-review supports the conclusion that being a caregiver for people with dementia is associated with psychological stress and physical ill-health.
Why it matters
Problem-focused coping and acceptance and social-emotional support strategies were generally linked to better mental health and depression outcomes for caregivers. Poor outcomes were associated with wishful thinking, denial, and avoidance coping strategies.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 68/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC geriatrics) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Geriatrics: journal h-index 153 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 410 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.2 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 20.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 116 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Sebastian James Crutch: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27193287) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 68 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gilhooly, K. J., Gilhooly, M. L., Sullivan, M. P., McIntyre, A., Wilson, L., Harding, E., et al. (2016). A meta-review of stress, coping and interventions in dementia and dementia caregiving. BMC geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0280-8
Vancouver
Gilhooly KJ, Gilhooly ML, Sullivan MP, McIntyre A, Wilson L, Harding E, et al. A meta-review of stress, coping and interventions in dementia and dementia caregiving. BMC geriatrics. 2016. doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0280-8. PMID: 27193287.
BibTeX
@article{gilhooly2016-27193287,
author = {Gilhooly, K. J. and Gilhooly, M. L. and Sullivan, M. P. and McIntyre, A. and Wilson, L. and Harding, E. and Woodbridge, R. and Crutch, S.},
title = {{A meta-review of stress, coping and interventions in dementia and dementia caregiving}},
journal = {BMC geriatrics},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1186/s12877-016-0280-8},
pmid = {27193287},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0280-8}
}
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