Mapping health literacy challenges among COPD caregivers: a scoping review

This study is the first scoping review specifically focused on the health literacy of caregivers of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It aims to summarize the current state of research in this field and provide guidance for the implementation of targeted health education and care support in clinical settings.

Guided by the scope review methodology, the system searched 10 Chinese and English databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to March 16, 2026. Two researchers independently screened, summarized, and extracted data from the search results.

A total of 7 studies were ultimately included, covering 4 countries: China, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United States. The overall health literacy of caregivers of patients with COPD was found to be relatively low. The main influencing factors included sociodemographic factors, caregiving-related factors, patient-related factors, medical information and education, and the caregivers' physical and psychological factors. Assessment tools lack caregiver-specific instruments, and caregiver education focuses primarily on practical caregiving skills, with learning styles dominated by auditory and literacy-based approaches.

The health literacy levels of COPD caregivers are generally low and influenced by multiple factors, creating an urgent need to develop caregiver-specific health literacy assessment tools. Clinicians should design personalized health education models based on caregivers' needs and learning preferences. Moving forward, high-quality intervention studies are needed to improve caregivers' health literacy and the quality of care, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.