Who used in-home respite care and was it effective? A systematic review on the influencing factors and program effect of in-home respite care

Abstract

This systematic review aims to summarize the influencing factors and the program effect of in-home respite care in the global literature. A search was conducted on four databases. Twelve studies examining the influencing factors and 23 studies evaluating the program effect were included. Results showed at the micro-level, facilitators included caregiver (CG) characteristics, and care-recipients (CR) having more care needs, care arrangements. At the meso-level, barriers included high cost, concerns about letting strangers into home, poor service quality. In-home respite care could relieve CG task, improve their life satisfaction and morale. However, the effect on CG burden/stress, depression/anxiety, and physical health were inconclusive. For CR, in-home respite can reduce the likelihood of institutionalization. However, their care needs remain unaddressed, and service consistency needed improvement. The influencing factors of in-home respite care were diverse, and the program effect of in-home respite care was mixed, particularly on CG long-term burden and depression.