{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T14:07:21Z","timestamp":1779890841874,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779753600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":25,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,15]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In many low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), palliative care services are limited and much of the care for adults with advanced cancer is provided by family caregivers. This review aims to explore the family caregiver experience in providing palliative care to adult patients with cancer in LMICs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and analysis<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This qualitative systematic review will be conducted using a comprehensive search strategy on PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO without language or date restrictions. The COnnecting REpositories (CORE) database of the Open University will be searched for grey literature. Review questions will follow the PICo framework (Population, Phenomena of Interest and Context). Qualitative or mixed-method studies on the experience of family caregivers of adult patients with cancer (above 18 years) receiving palliative care in LMICs will be included. Study quality will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Findings will be synthesised using meta-aggregation or with a narrative synthesis if pooling is not feasible. The review process will follow the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence and will be reported according to the ENhancing Transparency in REporting the synthesis of Qualitative research (ENTREQ) framework.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Ethics and dissemination<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>No ethical approval is required as the study involves secondary data analysis of published literature. Ethical principles of accurate reporting and transparency will be upheld. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed open-access journals and presented at academic conferences. Recommendations will be shared with policymakers and healthcare organisations responsible for the provision of palliative care for patients with cancer in LMICs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>PROSPERO registration number<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>CRD420251010556.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-107759","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T12:00:16Z","timestamp":1779883216000},"page":"e107759","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Family caregivers\u2019 experience in the provision of palliative care for adult cancer patients in low-income and lower-middle-income countries: a qualitative systematic review protocol"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-5214-7584","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kavindhaya","family":"Karunarathna","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Environmental, Occupational Health and Food Safety Unit, Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-7170-0050","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vishmi Ruwanika","family":"Uduwela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gaveen","family":"Godage","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4736-3450","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yashodha","family":"Isuruni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Directorate of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4182-284X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maheeka","family":"Seneviwickrama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Cancer Research, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka"},{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.1","unstructured":"World Health Organization . Palliative care. 2020. Available: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/palliative-care [Accessed 12 Feb 2025]."},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.2","unstructured":"Abrahm JL . Introduction. In: Abrahm JL , Daubman B-R , Collins M , eds. Comprehensive guide to supportive and palliative care for patients with cancer. 4th edn. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press\u201320,"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0004061","article-title":"Health and economic impact of caregiving on informal caregivers of people with chronic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review","volume":"4","author":"Kisangala","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1080\/17482631.2020.1855751","article-title":"The tension between carrying a burden and feeling like a burden: a qualitative study of informal caregivers\u2019 and care recipients\u2019 experiences after patient discharge from hospital","volume":"16","author":"Lilleheie","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.5","first-page":"333","article-title":"Health status of caregivers of cancer survivors","volume":"23","author":"Santin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur J Cancer Care"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"406","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm5040406","article-title":"The Experience of Caregivers Living with Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis","volume":"5","author":"LeSeure","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Pers Med"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.7","unstructured":"Reinhard SC , Given B , Petlick NH , et al . Supporting family caregivers in providing care. In: Hughes RG , ed. Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US), 2008. Available: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK2665\/"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5746"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.9","first-page":"208","article-title":"The status of palliative care in the global south","volume":"14","author":"Harding","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr Opin Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpainsymman.2018.05.005"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"837","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(21)02314-X","article-title":"Report of the Lancet Commission on the Value of Death: bringing death back into life","volume":"399","author":"Sallnow","year":"2022","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.12","unstructured":"Silverman D . Doing qualitative research: A practical handbook. 3rd edn. London: Sage Publications, 2010."},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.13","article-title":"The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta\u2010synthesis","volume":"30","author":"Benites","year":"2021","journal-title":"European J Cancer Care"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"869","DOI":"10.1111\/hsc.13586","article-title":"Supporting friends and family of adults with a primary brain tumour: A systematic review","volume":"30","author":"Heinsch","year":"2022","journal-title":"Health Social Care Comm"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S1478951514000455"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Reigada C , Pais-Ribeiro JL , Novella A . The Caregiver Role in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature. hccr 2015;03. doi:10.4172\/2375-4273.1000143","DOI":"10.4172\/2375-4273.1000143"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjspcare-2016-001141"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/NCC.0000000000001104"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lockwood C , Porritt K , Munn Z , et al . Systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. JBI 2024. doi:10.46658\/JBIMES-24-02","DOI":"10.46658\/JBIMES-24-02"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-12-181","article-title":"Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research: ENTREQ","volume":"12","author":"Tong","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/2046-4053-4-1"},{"key":"2026052706301058000_16.5.e107759.22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-016-0384-4","article-title":"Rayyan-a web and mobile app for systematic reviews","volume":"5","author":"Ouzzani","year":"2016","journal-title":"Syst Rev"}],"container-title":["BMJ Open"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-107759","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T13:30:48Z","timestamp":1779888648000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-107759"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-107759"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-107759","relation":{},"ISSN":["2044-6055","2044-6055"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2044-6055","type":"print"},{"value":"2044-6055","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]}}}