Carer-employees (CEs) are unpaid carers who are simultaneously working in paid employment. Workplace stress often compounds with caregiving stress to cause negative health effects for CEs. This analysis investigates cross-sectional data of the 2018 Canadian General Social Survey (GSS) to determine whether CEs who experienced work interferences (WIs), including taking time off work, turning down a job offer or promotion, and taking a less demanding job, were associated with poor mental health due to caregiving responsibilities. Carer-friendly work policies (CFWPs) and social support would lower the mental health impact of CEs and moderate the association between WIs and mental health. Of the 23,025 respondents, 4,291 were CEs. A series of multivariate logistic regressions were conducted on various mental health symptoms (e.g., feeling tired, experiencing appetite loss, and having trouble sleeping). Most WIs were positively associated with mental health symptoms. CFWPs, such as flexible scheduling, the option to work part-time, being able to take a leave of absence or an extended leave, and feeling that CFWPs can be taken without negative impacts on one’s career, were negatively associated with at least one mental health symptom caused by the caregiving responsibilities. The option to telework was found to be nonsignificant. Generally, social support was associated with an increased chance of mental health symptoms, apart from help from the community. CEs who worked in workplaces that promoted CFWPs without negative impacts on their careers were less likely to feel anxious when turning down a job offer or promotion. Our study highlights the importance of CFWPs for CEs’ mental health. As the number of CEs increases over time, the need for effective and wide-ranging CFWPs becomes more important.
Objectives The aims of the study are to identify trends in the socio-demographic, health, and work profiles of Canadian carer-employees (CEs) over time, as well as the gender difference in the intensity of caring. Methods Cross-sectional data from cycles 26 and 32, collected in 2012 and 2018 respectively, of the Canadian General Social Survey (GSS) were used. Logistic, multinomial logistic, and linear regressions were used to estimate how caregiving is associated with caregivers’ health, well-being, and work in both cycles. Regressions from both cycles were then compared with chi-square tests for significant differences over time. Results The proportion of male CEs grew between 2012 and 2018, and women were no longer more likely to be a CE. The intensity of care for female CEs was significantly increased from 2012 to 2018 as compared with their male counterparts. General health (2018: OR = 0.25[0.11, 0.61] vs. 2012: OR = 0.33[0.15, 0.72]) and life satisfaction ($$\beta$$ β = -0.42[0.54, -0.30] vs. $$\beta$$ β = -0.22[-0.30, -0.14]) were significantly worsened with respect to the role of CEs from 2012 to 2018. Conclusion Our study provides the evidence that CEs’ health and well-being have worsened over time, especially for female CEs, indicating that the needs of CEs are growing at a faster rate than the supports available. The results are meaningful in informing and justifying the provision of CE supports at work in order to sustain CEs in the workplace, such as the carer-friendly workplace policies.
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