Informal care, health and mortality

Abstract

Informal care provision is an activity in which individuals are increasingly likely to become involved across their life course, and particularly in later life, as a result of demographic changes such as increasing longevity and changes in co-residential living arrangements in later life. Academic research so far has highlighted the adverse impact of informal care provision on the financial position of the carer, however, the evidence on the impact of informal care provision on the carer's physical, mental and emotional health, and on their mortality, presents a more complex picture. This paper reviews research from the UK and beyond on the provision of informal care and its subsequent impact on health and mortality outcomes. Two key findings emerge from this review paper. Firstly, the cross-sectional analysis of data shows mixed associations between informal care provision and poor health outcomes for the carer. Such research highlights the importance of the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the carer and the person cared for, and of the specific characteristics and nature of the care provided (e.g. duration, level). Secondly, longitudinal analysis, which typically benefits from a longer timeframe to follow up the impact of caring, shows that although informal care provision is not per se associated with adverse health and mortality outcomes, nevertheless particular types and durations of caring have shown negative outcomes.

Impacts of Informal Caregiving on Caregiver Employment, Health, and Family

“…For example, Vlachantoni et al (2012), in their review of caregiving's impact on health measures in Britain, underscore the ambiguous results on caregiver characteristics. In an analysis of the differences between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, they also find that, depending on the sample and model used, cross-sectional analyses may find positive, negative, or no correlation.…”

“…Schoenmakers et al (2010) Review of 207 articles on dementia caregiver (1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009) Caregiver characteristics are more important for the observed negative impact on health than for objective care needs. Schulz et al (1990) Review of 33 articles (1978)(1979)(1980)(1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)) -Caregivers tend to have higher levels of Author Data Controls Key results psychiatric symptoms than the average population Schulz et al (1995) Review of 41 articles (1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995) Substantial evidence in the literature that dementia caregiving leads to higher levels of depression Vlachantoni et al (2012) Review of 20 studies (1992-2012) -Caregiver characteristics are important; longitudinal designs tend to show less severe effects on health outcomes Vitaliano et al (2003) Meta-analysis of studies 45, based on 23 samples of dementia caregivers (1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)…”

Why are older informal carers in better health? Solving a causality problem

“…Roth et al, 2013;Hiel et al, 2015;Vlachantoni, 2013;Schulz and Sherwood, 2008;Pinquart and Sorensen, 2003;2006;2007). Interdisciplinary research has provided different research designs, sam-pling procedures, statistical methods of a heterogeneous nature.…”

Intimate personal violence and caregiving: Influences on physical and mental health in middle-aged women

“…Informal caregiving is care provide by family members or friends and providing this type of care for a disabled or elderly person often peaks in midlife for women, and can have both positive and negative impacts on their mental health, physical health and personal wellbeing [1]. While there are positive impacts from caregiving, such as personal growth, strength, and resiliency [2,3], many studies show that caregivers tend to have poorer mental [4] and physical health [5] compared to non-caregivers.…”

“…Indeed, research has demonstrated that female caregivers have poorer social support [6]. The importance of considering the impact of demographic characteristics as well as other social and economic roles performed by caregivers on their health has been advocated [1]. Yet, in order to establish the impact of caregiving it is also important to examine the life histories of women, to take account of past traumatic or stressful events in order to understand the personal resources (or lack of) that women might have when entering the caregiving relationship.…”