Caregiving Profiles: Demographic And Economic Social Determinants Of Health

TL;DR

This study explores how demographic and economic factors influence caregiving roles and strain in the U.S., highlighting the need for early support for potential caregivers.

Contribution

The study identifies demographic and economic social determinants of health that differentiate anticipated caregivers from current and non-anticipating individuals.

Findings

Anticipated caregivers are more likely to be younger, male, and unemployed compared to current caregivers.

Current caregivers face greater economic social determinants of health challenges than anticipated or non-anticipating individuals.

More resources should be allocated to potential caregivers before they assume caregiving roles to reduce future strain.

Abstract

In 2021-22, approximately 37.1 million Americans provided care to family or friends (U.S. Bureau of Labor, 2024). Caregiver strain may differ across age, gender, race (Young et al., 2019). Given the effects of Social Determinants of Health, such as financial stability, health care, and food resources (Duran & Perez-Stable, 2019), some adults may experience additional threats to health and quality of life before entering the caregiver role. Little is known about those who anticipate becoming a caregiver. Knowing key information about anticipated caregivers would allow better programs and policies for future caregivers. The current study includes 97,914 participants (Mean age = 55.56, 45.8% female, 81.6% white non-Hispanic) who completed the 2022 BRFSS. Approximately 20.1% were current caregivers, 10.47% anticipated becoming a caregiver in the next two years, 5.3% were unsure, and 64.11% did not anticipate becoming a caregiver. A multinomial logistic regression examined the contributions of key demographic characteristics and economic social determinants of health (eSDOH) to predicting group membership, χ²(60675) = 1832.60, p < .001. Compared to current caregivers, anticipated caregivers were more likely to be: younger (OR = .99), male (OR = 1.2), and unemployed (OR = .81). Challenges related to eSDOH were higher for current than for anticipated (OR = .89), unsure (OR = .76), and those not anticipating becoming a caregiver (OR = .73). Additional post hoc analyses compared anticipated caregivers to unsure and not anticipating. More resources should be available for those prior to becoming a caregiver to alleviate future caregiver strain.