TableĀ 1

Characteristics of the included studies

Carer QOL InstrumentAuthor(s)CountrySample
Total N (% female)
Mean age years
(SD)
Study design/settingMeasurement domainsNumber of items/response format
HDQoL-CAubeeluck and Buchanan17UK87 (62.1)
58.2 (14.2)
Longitudinal/cohort: spousal carers recruited through the Huntington's Disease Association UKDemographic and objective information; practical aspects of caregiving; satisfaction with life; feelings about living with Huntington's disease34 items
11-point Likert scale
HDQoL-C-SFAubeeluck et al18France
Italy
301 (60.5)
57.1 (13.1)
Cross-sectional survey: family or friend carers of people with Huntington's diseaseSatisfaction with life; feelings about living with Huntington's disease20 items
11-point Likert scale
CAREQOL-MSBenito-Leon et al19Spain276 (56.5)
50.2 (12.6)
Longitudinal/cohort: family carers of people with MS recruited from 19 Spanish outpatient clinicsPhysical burden and global health; social impact; emotional impact; need of support; emotional reactions to patient's psychic status24 items
5-point Likert scale
ACQLIDoward20UK
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
192 (72.3)
60.0 (12.2)
Longitudinal/cohort: family carers of people with dementiaSingle domain of carer QOL30 items
Dichotomous (true/not true)
PDQ-CarerJenkinson et al21UK236 (63.5)
68.2 (9.5)
Cross-sectional survey: family carers of people with Parkinson's disease who were members of Parkinson's UKSocial and personal activities; anxiety and depression; self-care; stress29 items
5-point Likert scale
PDQ-Carer-SIMorley et al23UK236 (63.5)
68.2 (9.5)
Cross-sectional survey: family carers of people with Parkinson's disease who were members of Parkinson's UKSingle summary index score computed using the four subscales of the PDQ-Carer29 items
5-point Likert scale
PQoL CarersPillas et al22UK430 (62.4)
66.2 (8.5)
Cross-sectional survey: family carers of people with MSA and PSPSingle domain of carer QOL26 items
5-point Likert scale
CGQOLVickrey et al6USA200 (79.0)
61.5 (13.5)
Longitudinal/cohort: family carers of people with dementiaAssistance with instrumental activities of daily living; assistance with activities of daily living; role limitations due to caregiving; personal time; family interaction; demands of caregiving; worry; spirituality and faith; benefits of caregiving; caregiver feelings80 items
3-point and 5-point Likert scales specific to groups of items
  • ACQLI, Alzheimer's Carers Quality of Life Instrument; CGQOL, Caregiver Quality Of Life; HDQoL-C, Huntington's disease quality-of-life battery for carers; HDQoL-C-SF, Huntington's disease quality-of-life battery for carers short form; MS, multiple sclerosis; MSA,multiple system atrophy; PDQ-Carer, Parkinson Disease Questionnaire for Carers; PDQ-Carer-SI, Parkinson Disease Questionnaire for Carers Summary Index; PQoL Carers, Parkinsonism Carers QoL; PSP,progressive supranuclear palsy; QOL, quality of life.