Mixed Methods Research on Family Caregiving for Stroke Survivors: A Methodological Systematic Review.
Tharaa Ananzeh, Reem Telfah, Tamilyn Bakas and 2 others
PMID 41778502WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke caregiver studies that combined numbers and interviews mostly collected both at the same time or used numbers first to guide interviews.
They often linked findings only in the discussion, and only three used side-by-side tables.
Key findings
01Convergent and explanatory sequential designs dominated among the 17 included studies.
02Researchers most often mixed methods to use interview findings to explain or enrich the numbers, and few studies showed integration in side-by-side tables.
03Integration was often done by combining findings in the discussion, not through a clear step-by-step method.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only English-language, peer-reviewed articles, so studies published in other languages may be missing. The search was limited to March 2010 to March 2025, so earlier mixed-method stroke caregiving studies may not be covered. The review used only article texts, so authors' unstated methodological decisions may not be captured. Included studies reported designs and integration inconsistently, which limits comparison. The review assessed research methods, not caregiver or patient outcomes, so it does not show which interventions worked.
Declared interests
The authors reported no funding and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that mixed-method stroke caregiver interventions improve burden, coping, or recovery. The review appraised how studies were designed and integrated data, not their patient or caregiver outcomes.