Self-reported health impacts of caregiving by age and income among participants of the Canadian 2012 General Social Survey

Abstract

Increases in life expectancy and the underlying age structure of the Canadian population have contributed to dramatic increases in the number of seniors who are caregivers. While caregiving is associated with several adverse health impacts, there is a need to better understand how these impacts might be different among older caregivers, and whether those impacts are modified by socioeconomic status.

We sought to address these research gaps by using cross-sectional data pro¬vided by participants of the 2012 Canadian General Social Survey (GSS). Descriptive analyses were performed to compare the self-reported health impacts that participants attributed to caregiving, and how these varied by age and income. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify which factors were associated with self-reported impacts on overall health among caregivers 65 years of age and older.

The demographic characteristics of the care-providers varied substantially by age with older caregivers having lower incomes and devoting more time to caregiving relative to those who were younger. The self-reported impacts of caregiving on overall health were greatest among those between the ages of 35 and 64, and this pattern was evident across all income groups. Feelings of loneliness and social isolation as a result of caregiving responsibilities appeared to be mitigated by both greater age and income. However, across all age groups, caregiving was more likely to adversely impact exercise habits, healthy eating, and alcohol consumption than to promote more positive behaviours.

Providing care impacts health behaviours and mental health regardless of age and income. However, our findings suggest that older caregivers (who are most often women)—who provide the most hours of care and on reduced incomes relative to younger caregivers—appear less impacted in terms of health behaviours, perhaps as a result of fewer competing demands relative to younger caregivers. Taken together, these findings suggest that support systems must consider caregiver impacts that vary in com¬plex ways across age, sex, and income.