title: Caregiving in multiple sclerosis and quality of life: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The lack of adequate conceptualisation and operationalisation of quality of life (QoL) limits the ability to have a consistent body of evidence to improve QoL research and practice in informal caregiving for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Thus, we conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative research to improve the conceptual understanding of the experiences of MS carers and to identify factors that affect carers' QoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic searches of five electronic databases yielded 17 qualitative studies which were synthesised using the principles of meta-ethnography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The synthesis resulted in nine inter-linking themes: Changes and losses; challenges revolving around MS; caregiving demands; burden of care; future concerns; external stressors; experiences of support; strategies used in managing the caregiving role; and motivating factors. Our findings suggest that MS carers can have both positive and negative experiences which may bring challenges and rewards to the carers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present a proposed QoL model for MS caregiving which can be used to inform the development of interventions for MS carers to improve their QoL. However, further empirical research is needed to examine the utility of this model and to explore the concept of QoL in MS carers in more detail.
authors.affiliation: a School of Medicine, University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK.
authors.forename: Gogem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Topcu
authors.affiliation: a School of Medicine, University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.affiliation: b School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK.
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aubeeluck
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , Eastern Mediterranean University , Famagusta , Cyprus.
authors.forename: Gülcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garip
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: informal carers; meta-ethnography; meta-synthesis; multiple sclerosis; quality of life