Health literacy interventions for informal caregivers: systematic review

Area of Science:

• Health Literacy Research
• Caregiver Support Interventions
• Chronic Disease Management

Background:

• Caregivers of adults with chronic diseases/disabilities require adequate health literacy.
• Existing conceptual models and interventions for caregiver health literacy (CHL) are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review conceptual models and interventions aimed at enhancing health literacy in caregivers of adults with chronic conditions.

Main Methods:

• Searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase for relevant literature.
• Included studies focused on informal caregivers of adults (18+) with chronic diseases/disabilities.
• Appraised study quality using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool.

Main Results:

• Eleven studies were included, with two describing conceptual models and nine focusing on interventions.
• Only two of five intervention studies reported improvements in caregiver health literacy (CHL).
• Interventions primarily targeted disease understanding and self-care, with few addressing broader influencing factors.

Conclusions:

• There is a scarcity of evidence regarding the development and assessment of comprehensive CHL interventions.
• Future interventions should be guided by CHL frameworks to encompass individual, interpersonal, and health service/provider factors.