Predictors of Informal Caregiver Burden in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.

All included studies were cross-sectional, so they show associations at one time point, not causes or how burden changes over time. Many included studies had small samples, and only three reported power calculations, so some true predictors may have been missed. Statistical analyses were often under-specified, and fifteen studies used stepwise regression, which can produce unstable findings. Studies used different definitions of informal caregiver and different burden measures, making direct comparison difficult. Samples were mostly older women caring for a spouse or partner and were recruited from clinic settings, so findings may not apply to younger caregivers, other relationships, advanced disease, or remote areas. The review included only English-language, peer-reviewed articles, and most studies were from WEIRD countries, adding cultural bias.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support for the research, authorship, or publication.

Do not conclude that reducing these predictors will lower caregiver burden. The review reports associations from cross-sectional studies, not tested interventions, and many findings were inconsistent.