What skills do informal caregivers of people dependent on activities of daily living improve caregivers’ quality of life? Protocol for a systematic review

Background: The increasing aging population [1] has increased the demand for caregiving in daily living activities (ADLs), positioning informal caregivers as key figures in care models [2,3,4]. Objective: This protocol outlines a systematic review, which is grounded in Smith’s Caregiving Effectiveness Model [5], designed to identify and categorize the skills transferred through educational interventions by healthcare professionals that improve informal caregivers’ quality of life (QoL). Study Design: Systematic review protocol following PRISMA-P guidelines [6]. Methods: We will search six databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and CINAHL) for randomized controlled trials, cluster-RCTs, and quasi-experimental studies involving skill-improvement interventions aimed at informal caregivers of individuals dependent on ADLs. Outcomes of interest include caregiver QoL, burden, anxiety, stress, self-efficacy, and depression. Risk of bias will be assessed via RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools [7,8]. Data will be synthesized narratively according to the domains in Smith’s Caregiving Effectiveness Model [5]. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42024607229 Keywords: Informal caregiver, caregiver training, quality of life, ADL, protocol, systematic review, caregiving skills, skill mix, primary care, public health