Abstract
(1) Background: The aim of this study was (i) to analyze problems faced by informal caregivers in three areas of their life: health, work and finances, and family and social relationships, (ii) to investigate the main determinants of these problems, and (iii) to explore differences between men and women. (2) Methods: The study population consisted of people aged ≥18 years living in a family home who were providing unpaid care to a dependent person in the same or another home and who were registered as caregivers with the Primary Health Care District of Granada or the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. Several logistic regression models were built to analyze the likelihood of caregivers experiencing health, work-related, or social problems as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. (3) Results: Informal female caregivers were more likely to experience problems attributed to caregiving than their male counterparts, particularly in the areas of health and work. Additional factors associated with an increased likelihood of problems were low perceived social support, performance of ungratifying tasks, and fewer years as a caregiver. (4) Conclusions: Informal caregivers in Spain face significant problems as a result of their caregiving duties, and the impact on men and women is different. Policies and interventions to mitigate the negative effects of unpaid caregiving should incorporate differential strategies to meet the specific needs of male and female caregivers in different caregiving contexts.
Highlights
Informal care, which is unpaid care provided by family members, friends, or neighbors, is the main source of care for dependent persons [1]
Data were collected in a cross-sectional interview-based study conducted within the framework of the CUIDAR-SE study, which analyzed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among informal male and female caregivers in the Andalusian province of Granada in southern Spain and the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in northern Spain
The study population consisted of adults (≥18 years) living in a family home who were providing informal care to a dependent person in the same or another home and who were registered as caregivers with the Primary Health Care District of Granada or enrolled in the social services dependency registry of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa created following the Spanish Dependency Law (DL) [27]
Summary
Informal care, which is unpaid care provided by family members, friends, or neighbors, is the main source of care for dependent persons [1]. The nature of this care varies considerably from country to country, both in terms of the support systems in place and the proportion of the population providing informal care, ranging from around 13% in countries, such as Spain, to more than 19% in countries, such as Finland. There is evidence that the strain and demands of caregiving have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of caregivers, for those providing intense longterm care [3,4]. Physical and psychological health effects are the most widely studied
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