Family Experiences and Burdens in Diabetes Care: A Scoping Review of the Japanese Context

Abstract

Background: Although patient families play a crucial role in diabetes management, their burden is also noted.Methods: We conducted a scoping review of studies examining the thoughts and burdens of the families of patients with diabetes in Japan. In August 2022 and April 2024, we searched Embase, Medline, and Ichushi-Web using terms related to "patients with diabetes," "caregivers," "families," and "Japan." Results: Forty studies were analyzed (by patient background: 17 on children/adolescents/young adults, 4 on adults, 8 on the elderly, 3 in which age was unspecified, 3 on pregnancy/childbirth, 3 on dialysis, and 2 others). The majority of the studies were qualitative analyses, with a few scales used. Most studies on children have focused on mothers of patients with type 1 diabetes, while studies on the elderly have predominantly targeted families of patients with type 2 diabetes. There have been no studies on the families of patients with complications other than dialysis. Conclusion: A more comprehensive research is needed to support patient families.