Informal Caregiver Burden in Palliative Care and the Role of the Family Doctor: A Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: Caregivers play a central role in supporting patients in palliative care but often face significant challenges to their physical, emotional, social, and financial well-being. Family doctors are uniquely positioned to help alleviate this burden through early identification, targeted interventions, and coordinated care. This scoping review analyzed existing literature on caregiver burden in palliative care to explore the specific role of family doctors in identifying, preventing, and reducing this burden. Methods: A scoping review was carried out following the methodology set out by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The following databases were searched: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the British Medical Journal. The search strategy was based on the use of the following keywords and Medical Subject Headings: "caregiver burden" AND "palliative care" AND ("family physician" OR "general practitioners" OR "primary care physicians"). The search was performed on 10 March 2024, with a time horizon between 2013 and 2023. Results: From 259 identified articles, 8 met the inclusion criteria. Key themes included factors influencing caregiver burden, strategies used by family doctors to mitigate it, and challenges in providing support. Family doctors play a crucial role in offering psychological support, educating caregivers on disease progression, and coordinating multidisciplinary care. Conclusions: The active involvement of family doctors significantly reduces caregiver burden by addressing emotional distress, improving communication, and ensuring care coordination. Key interventions include early distress screening, tailored education, and access to multidisciplinary networks. Strengthening their integration in palliative care teams is essential for optimizing patient and caregiver outcomes.