Supports for informal caregivers of people living with dementia in the Middle East and North Africa Region: realist review

• DOI: 10.1332/29767202y2024d000000017
• Publication Date: 2025-01-16T22:16:01Z
• Authors: Amani Alyafei; Caroline Swarbrick; Carol Holland

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, commitment to honour parents keep private ‘issues’ within home combine shape caregiving styles needs. Evidence on effectiveness of interventions for informal caregivers people living with dementia in MENA region is lacking. This study offers an overview caregivers. It also explores caregivers’ needs, preferences views addressing intervention through online content. A middle-range programme theory developed provide insight into mechanisms underpinning interventions. realist review approach was used explore what types features support throughout examine which contexts how these worked. The synthesis included 23 articles eight interviews health professionals. Eight context–mechanism–outcome configurations (CMOCs) were extrapolated build iteratively refine a finalise it testing. Contextual conditions that emerged include stigma, long care duration, culture, lack effect this uptake. Mechanisms reported feeling supported empowering skills, knowledge they need, led outcomes such as improved quality life reduction stress article contributes limited literature by identified gap knowledge, providing insights understand why particular work or not, contexts.