Table 1 Systematic review methodology

Eligibility Criteria

   Years

All

To assess change in patterns of reporting over time.

   Language

English only

Study authors were only fluent in English.

   Publication status

Peer reviewed journals

Peer review set minimum criteria for quality, journals used as primary medium for communication of information.

Information sources

   Databases

PUBMED, PSYCINFO, CINAHL, and SOCIOLOGICAL ABSRACTS

Multiple databases were selected to provide access to a breadth of journals.

   References

Review of reference sections

Provided additional articles not found in database searches.

Search

PUBMED example

1: "work+care+burden+pediatric"

2: "caregiving+coping+child+chronic"

3: "caring+children+chronic+disease+parents"

4: "caregivers+role+strain+child"

Multiple searches using different terms revealed different journal articles to review.

Study selection

See figure 1

Data collection process

Data extracted from 30 journal articles chosen in random order, and 15 additional articles purposefully selected to increase diversity of sample

Used to prevent bias while at the same time sampling from entire population of articles.

Data items

See Tables 3 and 4

Code list generated from qualitative methods based on Grounded Theory (Strauss & Corbin 1987).

Summary measures

See Tables 3 and 4

Categories based on code list.

Synthesis of results

Theoretical model used to organize codes/categories

Theoretical model based on data as well as theories of work, coping, and complex systems.

Risk of bias across studies

"Medicalization" of work of care in peer review journals, exclusion of lay literature

Journal audience is comprised of medical and research personnel.