# Contributors to Gender Disparities in Parkinson’s Disease Caregiving

## TL;DR

Women with Parkinson’s disease are less likely to have caregivers, and female caregivers report more strain and burnout compared to men.

## Contribution

This study identifies marital status as a key factor in caregiving disparities and highlights the higher burden on female caregivers.

## Key findings

- Women without caregivers are older, less likely to be married, and more likely to take antidepressants.
- Female caregivers report more strain and less time for other family members compared to male caregivers.
- Marital status is the strongest predictor for having a caregiver among PD patients.

## Abstract

Women with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are less likely to have a caregiver.

To determine factors contributing to gender disparities in PD caregiving.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of people with PD and caregivers participating in the Parkinson’s Foundation Parkinson’s Outcomes Project and compared patient and caregiver characteristics by gender.

Among PD patients, 20.7% of 1663 women and 14.2% of 3005 men had no caregiver (P < 0.001). Women without caregivers were older (69.1 vs 66.3, P < 0.001), less likely to be married (30.4% vs 54.7%, P < 0.001), and more likely to be taking an antidepressant (41.8% vs 30.9%, P = 0.002) than men. Using stepwise logistic regression models, gender differences in access to caregiving were explained by marital status. Among caregivers, women reported more strain (P < 0.001) and had less time for other family members (P < 0.001).

Fewer women with PD have caregivers because they are less likely to have a spouse.

Caregivers play a vital role in the lives and health of people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP). However, women with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are less likely to have a caregiver and are more likely to be a caregiver themselves. Furthermore, women caregivers for PwP are more likely than men to feel burnout due to caregiving. This study examines potential reasons for these gender-related differences in PD caregiving. To better understand the experiences of caregivers, surveys were given to caregivers of PD patients who receive care at Parkinson’s Foundation Centers of Excellence in the United States. Our findings show that women without caregivers are older, less likely to be married, and have higher rates of depression. Marriage is by far the strongest predictor for having a caregiver. Among PD caregivers, women (1) care for PwP who are more disabled, (2) have more burnout, and (3) sacrifice more of their time with other family members. More research is needed to identify ways to better support PwP and their caregivers.