The Needs of Family Caregivers of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Scoping Review Protocol Publisher



Farahani MA ; Soltani Arabshahi SK ; Kashani M
Source: BMC Nursing Published:2025

Abstract

Introduction: Family caregivers of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) play a pivotal role in day-to-day care and disease management. This scoping review aims to identify, describe, and map the needs of family caregivers of patients with COPD worldwide. For the purposes of this review, caregiver “needs” refer to requirements that support caregivers’ ability to provide care and maintain their own well-being, including informational, emotional/psychological, practical (skills and daily care tasks), social, financial, respite, and navigation/support-service needs. Methods and analysis: The primary research question guiding this scoping review is: What are the needs of family caregivers of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? This review will be conducted following the methodological framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for scoping reviews. The eligibility criteria will be determined using the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework. A comprehensive search will be carried out in electronic databases including MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, as well as Persian scientific databases and grey literature sources, covering studies published up to May 2024 without language restrictions. Two independent reviewers will screen and select studies for inclusion. A standardized data extraction form, developed specifically for this review, will be used to collect relevant information. Data will be analyzed thematically to identify and categorize the various needs of family caregivers. Findings will be synthesized and presented through tables, figures, and narrative summaries to highlight key themes and gaps in the existing literature. Ethics and dissemination: This research does not entail the participation of human or animal subjects. All data utilized will be extracted exclusively from existing published literature. The findings generated from this study are intended for dissemination through submission to an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal, as well as presentation at scientific conferences focused on copd care giver needs. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.