Factors Associated with Increased Caregiver Burden of Informal Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

Abstract

This study’s objective was to explore the association between various factors and the increased caregiver burden of informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. On February, 2021, 700 informal caregivers completed an online survey. We assessed the change in caregiver burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all caregiver participants, 287 (41.0%) complained of an increased caregiver burden due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors associated with increased caregiver burden were depressive symptoms in caregivers [odds ratio (OR), 2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.50–3.23], dementia (OR, 2.48; 95%CI, 1.07–5.73) and low Barthel Index scores (OR, 2.01; 95%CI, 1.39–2.90) in care receivers, care days (OR, 1.09; 95%CI, 1.01–1.17) and times (OR, 1.06; 95%CI, 1.01–1.10), and use of home care service (OR, 1.46; 95%CI, 1.01–2.10) and visiting care service (OR, 1.71; 95%CI, 1.20–2.45). These findings suggest we need to pay attention to the physical and mental health of both the care receivers and caregivers.

Caregiving Situation as a Predictor of Subjective Caregiver Burden: Informal Caregivers of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…However, the understanding of caregiving situations varies widely among the studies [ 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ], and they are often vaguely defined [ 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ]. Second, the impact of the pandemic on the ICs of older people has been investigated in several studies [ 43 , 44 , 47 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ], but not the caregiving situation characteristics and subjective burden during the pandemic phase in 2021. Therefore, the second aim of our study was to clearly and holistically define the caregiving situation based on the conservation of resources theory [ 71 ], understanding the objective burden [ 72 , 73 ], and the overview presented in Section 1.2 , and to investigate how the caregiving situation’s characteristics predict the subjective burden.…”

“…Many international studies have shown that the pandemic has worsened the situation of ICs [ 12 , 18 , 20 , 25 , 43 , 44 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 ]. The pandemic has led to an increase in the intensity of care, the care activities provided, and the burden on ICs [ 18 , 20 , 43 , 67 , 70 , 82 , 84 , 85 , 87 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 ]. According to a scoping review [ 91 ], the pre-existing problems of ICs (e.g., care burden, anxiety, sleep disturbances, coping with a disrupted daily routine, and practical and logistical challenges in accessing health care, social support, and medications) have been exacerbated by the pandemic and restrictive lockdown measures.…”

“…In particular, the impact was found to be more severe for female ICs than for their male counterparts in all aspects of the caregiving experience [ 20 , 47 , 83 , 85 , 96 ]. Poorer psychological well-being was associated with ICs who provided intensive care (more than 20 h per week) [ 70 , 92 ], those who provided personal care more frequently than before COVID-19 [ 14 ], those who cared for someone with dementia [ 86 , 87 , 97 ], parental caregivers [ 18 , 82 ], and those who were experiencing financial difficulties [ 85 ].…”

“…Some studies have specifically addressed the situations of ICs of older people during the pandemic [ 25 , 43 , 44 , 47 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 82 ]. Of these, however, only a few have addressed the impact of the pandemic on the caregiving burden of ICs of older people [ 47 , 70 , 82 , 87 , 94 ].…”

“…Some studies have specifically addressed the situations of ICs of older people during the pandemic [ 25 , 43 , 44 , 47 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 82 ]. Of these, however, only a few have addressed the impact of the pandemic on the caregiving burden of ICs of older people [ 47 , 70 , 82 , 87 , 94 ]. For example, a German study [ 87 ] that provided insight into the informal caregiving situation during the first wave of the pandemic found that older people’s home care situations deteriorated during the pandemic (e.g., a considerable reduction in the use of support resources such as day care and family physician visits, as well as other support networks such as neighborhood help), which placed a heavy burden on their ICs.…”