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Supporting informal caregivers of dementia patients in China: action needed
Meiyu Li, Haokun Wang, Yijin Wu, Quan Zhang. Frontiers in Psychology, 2025-10-10
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction: the growing burden of dementia in China Dementia, a debilitating disorder, not only affects those diagnosed but also imposes significant strain on their families and caregivers. Beyond these practical challenges, caregivers often endure significant physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation from the unrelenting demands of caregiving, which can lead to chronic fatigue and deteriorating health (Liu et al., 2022; Mao et al., 2024). Many child caregivers, often referred to as the "sandwich generation" in China, grapple with substantial financial challenges associated with rearing offspring and providing for ailing parents. Finally, expanding the availability of respite care services and promoting their benefits to a broader group of caregivers would significantly lessen the physical and emotional stress they face (Chen et al., 2022; Kim et al., 2024). Equally important is the effective introduction and dissemination of assistive technologies, which offer significant potential for reducing the physical workload of caregiving (Levenson et al., 2024; Zuschnegg et al., 2025). By supporting informal caregivers, we can not only improve the quality of life for both dementia patients and their caregivers, but also reduce overall healthcare costs and strengthen the national healthcare system. Taken together, these contributions yield a timely, multidimensional, and forward-looking framework for strengthening support for informal caregivers.
Key findings
- Introduction: the growing burden of dementia in China Dementia, a debilitating disorder, not only affects those diagnosed but also imposes significant strain on their families and caregivers.
- Beyond these practical challenges, caregivers often endure significant physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation from the unrelenting demands of caregiving, which can lead to chronic fatigue and deteriorating health (Liu et al., 2022; Mao et al., 2024).
- Many child caregivers, often referred to as the "sandwich generation" in China, grapple with substantial financial challenges associated with rearing offspring and providing for ailing parents.
- Finally, expanding the availability of respite care services and promoting their benefits to a broader group of caregivers would significantly lessen the physical and emotional stress they face (Chen et al., 2022; Kim et al., 2024).
- Equally important is the effective introduction and dissemination of assistive technologies, which offer significant potential for reducing the physical workload of caregiving (Levenson et al., 2024; Zuschnegg et al., 2025).
Why it matters
This paper describes the strain dementia places on family caregivers in China, including physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and financial pressure. It calls for expanding respite care services and assistive technologies to reduce the physical and emotional stress caregivers face.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in Psychology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Frontiers in Psychology: journal h-index 313 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Quan Zhang: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Ocean University of China: institution h-index 405 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41143024) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1661022
- PubMed: 41143024
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Psychology →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Li, M., Wang, H., Wu, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2025). Supporting informal caregivers of dementia patients in China: action needed. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1661022
Vancouver
Li M, Wang H, Wu Y, Zhang Q. Supporting informal caregivers of dementia patients in China: action needed. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1661022. PMID: 41143024.
BibTeX
@article{li2025-41143024,
author = {Li, Meiyu and Wang, Haokun and Wu, Yijin and Zhang, Quan},
title = {{Supporting informal caregivers of dementia patients in China: action needed}},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1661022},
pmid = {41143024},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1661022}
}
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