Health Disparities Among Informal Caregivers: Caregiving, Social Capital, and Fundamental Causes

• In Event: Family Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 3: Caregiving and Support Exchanges Across the Life Course

Abstract

As the aging population in the U.S. continues to grow, caregiving is becoming increasingly common and essential. The study of caregiving has shown that activities associated with caregiving significantly affect caregivers’ health. The literature in medical sociology has also emphasized the role of broader social conditions under which caregiving is provided in the caregivers’ health. This study aimed to explain how caregiving activities, social capital, and socioeconomic resources shape caregivers’ health, based on data collected by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The results showed that informal caregivers were at risk for poor physical and mental health due to not only the duration of the regular care or assistance they provided, but also a lack of social capital they received (e.g., available adult family members and social/emotional support). The roles of these factors did not vary by the caregivers’ socioeconomic status (i.e., income, education). While African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and male caregivers were physically unhealthy compared to their counterparts, female caregivers were mentally unhealthy. The findings provide implications for policymakers to develop strategies to increase social capital among informal caregivers, helping to mitigate the negative health effects of long-term care.

Authors

• Hyung Sam Park

• Emily Gonzalez, University of Central Florida