The burden of family caregiving in the United States: work productivity, health care resource utilization, and mental health among employed adults

Abstract

BackgroundFamily caregiving is an increasingly important component of care for patients and the elderly.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to characterize the burden of family caregiving among employed adults.MethodsEmployed adults (≥18 years) from the 2013 US National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) were classified as family caregivers if they reported currently caring for at least one adult relative. Chi-square tests and one-way analyses of variance assessed whether employed caregivers, weighted to the US population, differed from employed non-caregivers on behavioral characteristics, workplace productivity, and health care resource utilization.ResultsEight million workers were family caregivers in the United States, more often female than male (51% vs. 49%, P < 0.05), and 53% were between 40 and 64 years of age. Eighteen percent of caregivers were Hispanic compared with 15% of non-caregivers (P < 0.05). Similar behavioral characteristics between caregivers and non-caregivers included daily alcohol consumption (6% vs. 5%) and lack of vigorous exercise (25% vs. 29%), but caregivers had a higher prevalence of smoking (26% vs. 19%, P < 0.05). Caregivers reported a higher mean percentage of work time missed (8% vs. 4%, P < 0.05) and greater productivity impairment (24% vs. 14%, P < 0.05). Some form of depression was reported by 53% of caregivers compared with 32% of non-caregivers (P < 0.05), and more caregivers had self-reported insomnia than non-caregivers (46% vs. 37%, P < 0.05). The number of self-reported diagnosed comorbidities was higher among caregivers compared with that of non-caregivers (5.0 vs. 3.1, P < 0.05), as was the mean number of outpatient visits in the previous 6 months (4.1 vs. 2.7, P < 0.05).ConclusionFamily caregiving is associated with a multidimensional burden that impacts caregivers and has implications for employers and the health care system. Clinicians and employers need to recognize and understand this burden. Characterization of caregivers as reported in this study can inform development of targeted programs to help mitigate the burden.

A Game Theoretic Analysis of Voluntary Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide

“…As 13. Caretakers might be particularly tempted to offer support for the early termination of life as they are especially affected by the patient's condition and frequently see their own health deteriorate (Hopps et al 2017). we show in Section IV, if there is an informative equilibrium, the patient does exactly what his family would have wanted and not necessarily what he would have preferred had he had the same information the family has. Put differently, suppose that the family holds some private information that, if made public, would make the patient choose differently than what the family would have wanted.…”

“…Caretakers might be particularly tempted to offer support for the early termination of life as they are especially affected by the patient's condition and frequently see their own health deteriorate (Hopps et al ).…”

Caregiver Burden is Reduced by Personalized Social Support for Non-Dependent Old Persons: a Longitudinal Study of 876 Old Persons and Their Caregivers

“…Two main factors contribute to reducing the burden of primary caregivers. The first is to receive specific help from another family member (18). The second is to benefit from assistance of formal systems (6).…”

Associations of preloss and postloss factors with severe depressive symptoms and quality of life over the first 2 years of bereavement for family caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients

“…3 However, heavy and competing caregiving burdens threaten family caregivers' (hereafter referred to as caregivers) physical, psychological, and financial well-being. 1,[6][7][8] EOL caregivers used significantly more health care resources in the past 6 months than noncaregivers, including more ED/outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and medications. 7 Such profound, negative EOL-caregiving effects affect caregivers well into bereavement, increasing morbidity and mortality for bereaved caregivers.…”

“…1,[6][7][8] EOL caregivers used significantly more health care resources in the past 6 months than noncaregivers, including more ED/outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and medications. 7 Such profound, negative EOL-caregiving effects affect caregivers well into bereavement, increasing morbidity and mortality for bereaved caregivers. 9,10 However, caregiving burden has rarely been examined as a risk factor for bereavement adjustment.…”