Intensity of care and perceived burden among informal caregivers to persons with chronic medical conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Findings highlight the need for studies on caregiver burden to improve sampling techniques; better report sampling procedures and caregiver and care recipient characteristics; and develop a standard set of outcomes, including a measure of caregiving intensity. Systematic Review Registration: CRD42017080962IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe amount of burden reported by caregivers to loved ones is associated with reduced physical and mental health.We found considerable heterogeneity in perceived burden reported by informal caregivers across different studies within disease groups, which is likely related to methodological issues, including sampling techniques.Health care providers who use research on caregiver burden should assess how representative study samples may be and exercise caution in drawing conclusions.