Informal Care Networks in the Context of Multimorbidity: Size, Composition, and Associations With Recipient Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Objective: We evaluate how the size and composition of care networks change with increasing morbidity count (i.e., multimorbidity) and how larger care networks relate to recipient psychological well-being. Method: Using the National Health and Aging Trends study (NHATS; N = 7,026), we conduct multivariate regressions to analyze size and compositional differences in care networks by morbidity count and recipient gender, and to examine differences in recipient psychological well-being linked to care network size. Results: Women report larger and more diverse care networks than men. These gender differences strengthen with increasing morbidity count. Larger care networks are associated with diminished psychological well-being among care recipients, especially as morbidity increases. Discussion: These findings reveal how increasing morbidity translates differently to care network size and diversity for men and women. They also suggest that having multiple caregivers may undermine the psychological well-being of care recipients who face complex health challenges.