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The association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms in carers of older relatives: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Del-Pino-Casado R, Rodríguez Cardosa M, López-Martínez C, Orgeta V.. PloS one, 2019-05-29
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Family carers are an important source of care for older people. Although several studies have reported that subjective caregiver burden is related to depressive symptoms there are no systematic reviews quantifying this association. Objective To establish the extent to which subjective caregiver burden is associated with depressive symptoms and whether this association would vary by study or care characteristics. Methods We searched major databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus and ISI Proceedings up to March 2018, and conducted a meta-analysis of included studies. Summary estimates of the association were obtained using a random-effects model to improve generalisation of findings. Results After screening of 4,688 articles, 55 studies were included providing a total of 56 independent comparisons with a total of 9,847 carers from data across 20 countries. There was a large, positive association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms ([Formula: see text] = 0.514; 95% CI = 0.486, 0.541), with very low heterogeneity amongst individual studies (I2 = 8.6%). Sensitivity analyses showed no differences between cross-sectional or repeated measures ([Formula: see text] = 0.521; 95% CI = 0.491, 0.550; 51 samples) and longitudinal studies ([Formula: see text] = 0.454; 95% CI = 0.398, 0.508; 6 samples). We found a higher effect size for those caring for people living with dementia compared to those caring for frail older people, and stroke survivors. Carer sex, age and kinship did not change the estimate of the effect. Conclusions Subjective caregiver burden is a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms in carers of older people and may precipitate clinical depression. Those caring for people with dementia experience greater burden. There is a need for longitudinal evaluations examining the effects of potential mediators of the association of subjective burden and depressive symptoms. Future interventions should test whether minimizing subjective burden may modify the risk of developing depression in carers of older relatives.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Del-Pino-Casado, R., Rodríguez Cardosa, M., López-Martínez, C., & Orgeta, V. (2019). The association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms in carers of older relatives: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217648
Vancouver
Del-Pino-Casado R, Rodríguez Cardosa M, López-Martínez C, Orgeta V. The association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms in carers of older relatives: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one. 2019. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217648. PMID: 31141556.
BibTeX
@article{delpinocasado2019-31141556,
author = {Del-Pino-Casado, R. and Rodríguez Cardosa, M. and López-Martínez, C. and Orgeta, V.},
title = {{The association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms in carers of older relatives: A systematic review and meta-analysis}},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0217648},
pmid = {31141556},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217648}
}
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Key findings
- Objective To establish the extent to which subjective caregiver burden is associated with depressive symptoms and whether this association would vary by study or care characteristics.
- Results After screening of 4,688 articles, 55 studies were included providing a total of 56 independent comparisons with a total of 9,847 carers from data across 20 countries.
- We found a higher effect size for those caring for people living with dementia compared to those caring for frail older people, and stroke survivors.
- Conclusions Subjective caregiver burden is a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms in carers of older people and may precipitate clinical depression.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis of 55 studies and 9,847 carers found a large positive association between subjective caregiver burden and depressive symptoms. The association was stronger for those caring for people living with dementia than for those caring for frail older people or stroke patients.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Participants56
- Effect size8.6%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 72/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (PloS one) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | PLoS ONE: journal h-index 594 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 56 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 238 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 26.4 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 109 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Vasiliki Orgeta: h-index 37 (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 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31141556) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 72 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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