Prevention and Management of Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers through Informal Caregiver Involvement: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: The literature remains unclear whether involving informal caregivers in diabetes self-care could lead to improved diabetic foot outcomes for persons at risk and/or with foot ulcer. In this review, we synthesized evidence of the impact of interventions involving informal caregivers in the prevention and/or management of diabetes-related foot ulcers. METHODS: A systematic review based on PRISMA, and Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines was conducted. MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial of the Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to February 2021. The following MESH terms were used: diabetic foot, foot ulcer, foot disease, diabetes mellitus, caregiver, family caregiver ,and family. Experimental studies involving persons with diabetes, with or at risk of foot ulcers and their caregivers were included. Data were extracted from included studies and narrative synthesis of findings undertaken. RESULTS: Following the search of databases, 9275 articles were screened and 10 met the inclusion criteria. Studies were RCTs (n = 5), non-RCTs (n = 1), and prepoststudies (n = 4). Informal caregivers through the intervention programmes were engaged in diverse roles that resulted in improved foot ulcer prevention and/or management outcomes such as improved foot care behaviors, increased diabetes knowledge, decreased HbA1c (mmol/mol or %), improved wound healing, and decreased limb amputations rates. Engaging both caregivers and the person with diabetes in education and hands-on skills training on wound care and foot checks were distinctive characteristics of interventions that consistently produced improved foot self-care behavior and clinically significant improvement in wound healing. CONCLUSION: Informal caregivers play diverse and significant roles that seem to strengthen interventions and resulted in improved diabetes-related foot ulcer prevention and/or management outcomes. However, there are multiple intervention types and delivery strategies, and these may need to be considered by researchers and practitioners when planning programs for diabetes-related foot ulcers.