• Clare Gardiner, Louise Brereton, Rosemary Frey, Laura Wilkinson-Meyers, and Merryn Gott.
• 1School of Nursing, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
• Palliat Med. 2014 May 1; 28 (5): 375-90.

BackgroundResearch regarding the economic dimensions of palliative care is relatively limited. The economic implications of providing informal care are well recognised; however, within the context of palliative care, little is known about the costs and implications of providing care for a loved one at the end of life.AimTo explore the financial costs and the financial impact of caring for family members receiving palliative/end-of-life care.DesignA systematic literature review of empirical research following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.Data SourcesSeven electronic databases were searched from inception to April 2012. Inclusion criteria were as follows: articles relating to the financial costs or implications of family caregiving at the end-of-life care, English language articles, empirical research or systematic reviews and articles relating to adults.ResultsThe review identified 21 relevant articles; however, evidence relating to the costs and implications of caregiving was relatively limited. The results indicate that the financial costs of caring for someone at the end of life are substantial. Financial costs can result in significant and multidimensional caregiver burden. Various factors were found to mediate the extent of financial burden.ConclusionsThis review identified a significant gap in the evidence base regarding the economic implications of providing care to a family member within a palliative care context. Economic costs and implications are likely to be significant, and research to address this gap is urgently needed, particularly given policy initiatives in a number of developed countries to move the provision of palliative and end-of-life care from hospital to community settings.

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