Table 2 Study characteristics
Authors | Country | Setting | Participants | Data collection method | Data analysis method | Publication type | Study quality | Contribution to synthesis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clissett et al. (2013) | UK | 11 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 29 carers | Non-participant observation and interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | High | Medium |
Clissett et al. (2013) | UK | 12 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 34 carers | Non-participant observation and interviews | Constant comparison analysis | Research article | High | Large |
Clissett et al. (2014) | UK | 12 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 35 carers | Non-participant observation and interviews | Constant comparison analysis | Research article | High | Small |
Cowdell (2007) | UK | 3 wards in a specialist older people’s unit in an acute hospital | 7 carers | Participant observation, informal conversations and interviews | Critical interpretive ethnography and narrative analysis | Doctoral thesis | Moderate | Medium |
Dening et al. (2012) | UK | Health and social care system of a London borough (Haringey) | 7 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | Moderate | Small |
Douglas-Dunbar and Gardiner (2007) | UK | District general hospital | 9 carers | Interview | Not specified | Research article | Low | Medium |
Gladman et al. (2012) | UK | 11 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 35 carers | Non-participant observation and interviews | Constant comparison analysis | Public programme report | High | Large |
Gonski and Moon (2012) | Australia | 10-bed secure unit providing intensive nursing care | 10 carers | Questionnaires | Quantitative and thematic analysis | Research article | Low | Small |
Jamieson et al. (2014) | Australia | Community | 30 carers | Telephone interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | Moderate | Medium |
Jurgens et al. (2015) | UK | 12 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 35 carers | Interviews | Constant comparison analysis | Research article | High | Large |
Lakey (2009) | UK | Hospitals across the country | 1291 responses, 96% from carers | Questionnaire | Not specified | Charity report | Low | Medium |
Porock et al. (2015) | UK | 11 wards (general medical, healthcare for older people and orthopaedic) in 2 acute hospitals | 35 carers | Non-participant observation and interviews | Constant comparison analysis | Research article | High | Medium |
Simpson (2016) | UK | Local carers’ support groups and a day centre | 7 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | Low | Medium |
Simpson et al. (1995) | UK | 7 inpatient wards within a Mental Health Service Trust | 41 carers | Interviews and questionnaires | Grounded theory and descriptive statistics | Research article | Moderate | Medium |
Spencer et al. (2013) | UK | Specialist medical and mental health unit and standard care wards | 40 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | High | Large |
Taylor (1998) | Australia | Not specified | 20 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | Low | Small |
Telford (2015) | UK | Hospitals across the country | 8 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Constructivist grounded theory analysis | Doctoral thesis | Moderate | Large |
Thune-Boyle (2010) | UK | 1 acute hospital | 20 carers | Semi-structured interviews | Thematic analysis | Research article | Moderate | Small |
Tolson et al. (1999) | UK | Not specified | 41 patients and main visitors | Critical incident interviews | Conceptual triangulation | Research article | Low | Small |
Whittamore et al. | UK | One general hospital | 462 carers | Questionnaires | Cohort analysis and descriptive statistics | Research article | High | Medium |