Work

A dyadic perspective on disease coping experiences and support needs in chronic heart failure patients and informal caregivers: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives: To systematically evaluate the experiences of chronic heart failure patients and their informal caregivers in jointly managing the disease, clarify their support needs, and provide evidence for developing targeted interventions. Design: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP for qualitative studies examining the dyadic coping experiences of patients with chronic heart failure and their caregivers. The quality of the literature was evaluated according to the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, and the included literature was integrated and analyzed using the pooled integration approach. Results: A total of 16 studies were included. 55 findings were aggregated into 13 categories and further synthesized into 4 overarching themes: divergent perspectives on illness and care; psychosocial resource depletion; disruptions in family intimacy; and the need for multidimensional support to reconstruct personal meaning. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals should pay close attention to differences in thinking, the degree of depletion of psychological resources, the tension in family intimacy, and supportive needs during the dyadic coping process between patients with chronic heart failure and their caregivers. Based on this, individualized interventions can be developed, leveraging digital technologies and platforms to enrich intervention formats and content, thereby enhancing collaborative disease management between both parties. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251243342, CRD 420251243342.

Source: Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1780966

Authors: Lei He, Yingnan Zhao, Xiangyu Wang, Xiaoqing Shi, Chun Li

Institutions: First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow University

Language: English

Topic: Nursing care and research

Subfield: Pharmacy

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801