Experiences of death preparedness among family caregivers of terminal patients: a systematic review and meta-synthesis
Abstract
Background: Death preparedness is an important component of hospice care, yet research focusing on family caregivers of terminally ill patients remains in its early stages, with few studies systematically synthesizing the death preparedness experiences of this group. The study aimed to integrate the experiences of death preparedness among family caregivers of terminally ill patients and provide a reference for developing family-centered supportive care interventions for this population.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies were conducted. Six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library) were searched for relevant qualitative studies published from database inception to January 31, 2026. We utilized the Australian JBI Quality Assessment Criteria for Qualitative Research to evaluate the quality of the included studies and utilized thematic analysis approach for data analysis. Presentation of this synthesis adhered to the PRISMA guideline.
Results: A total of 13 studies were included. Ten new categories were generated and synthesized into four integrated findings, including reconstructing the spiritual meaning of death, information communication for death preparation, coping with multidimensional pressures of reality, and internal and external resources to support caregivers.
Conclusion: Death preparedness among family caregivers of terminal patients is a complex and multidimensional psychosocial process.…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Regulation of nucleolus assembly by non-coding RNA polymerase II transcripts
- For a Healthy Histone Code, a Little SUMO in the Tail Keeps the Acetyl Away
- Discovering a binary CTCF code with a little help from BORIS
- Article Commentary: Stabilizing the Code–-Methods to Preserve RNA Prove Their Worth
- Foreword to the Special Issue for the RINTC (The Implicit Seismic Risk of Code-Conforming Structures) Project
- Commentary: Promoting Health and Well-being in Pediatric Primary Care Settings: Using Health and Behavior Codes at Routine Well-child Visits
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.