title: The effectiveness of interventions in supporting self-management of informal caregivers of people with dementia; a systematic meta review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Informal caregivers of people with dementia are challenged in managing the consequences of dementia in daily life. The objective of this meta-review was to synthesize evidence from previous systematic reviews about professional self-management support interventions for this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  In March 2014, searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase and PsycINFO. The PRISMA Statement was followed. Interventions were grouped using Martin's targets of self-management, covering 5 targets: relationship with family, maintaining an active lifestyle, psychological wellbeing, techniques to cope with memory changes and information about dementia. Using an evidence synthesis, the outcomes from the included interventions were synthesized and conclusions were drawn about the level of evidence for the effectiveness of interventions within each target.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten high-quality systematic reviews were selected. Evidence exists for the effectiveness of professional self-management support interventions targeting psychological wellbeing on stress and social outcomes of informal caregivers. In addition, evidence exists for the effectiveness of interventions targeting information on ability/knowledge. Limited evidence was found for the effectiveness of interventions targeting techniques to cope with memory change on coping skills and mood, and for interventions targeting information on the outcomes sense of competence and decision-making confidence of informal caregivers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scientific evidence exists for the effectiveness of a number of professional self-management support interventions targeting psychological wellbeing and information. Health care professionals could take account of the fact that psycho-education was integrated in most of the self-management support interventions that were found to be effective in this meta-review. Furthermore, longer and more intensive interventions were associated with greater effects.
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.huisinhetveld@vumc.nl.|Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.huisinhetveld@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Judith G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Huis In Het Veld
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. r.verkaik@nivel.nl.
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verkaik
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. patriek.mistiaen@kce.fgov.be.
authors.forename: Patriek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mistiaen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. berno.vanmeijel@inholland.nl.|Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. berno.vanmeijel@inholland.nl.|Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands. berno.vanmeijel@inholland.nl.
authors.forename: Berno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van Meijel
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.francke@vumc.nl.|Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.francke@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Anneke L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Francke
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D000068376:Compassion Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012944:Social Support