TABLE 3.

Criteria Used to Define Caregiving in Eight Selected National Surveys of Caregivers of Older Adults

	Disability Surveys				Caregiver Self-Identification Surveys
	HRS 2002	NLTCS-CG 1999/2004	NLTCS-Community 1999/2004	SIPP-Disability 2004	SIPP-CG 1996	NSFH 1992	NAC 2003/2009	BRFSS 2000
Assistance Provided	ADL/IADL	ADL/IADL	ADL/IADL	ADL/IADL	Not specified	Not specified	ADL/IADLa	Not specified
Reason for Assistance	Because of disability	Because of disability	Because of disability	Not specified	Because of illness or disability	Because of disability	2003: “to help them take care of themselves” 2009: “as a result of their condition”	Not specified
Reference Period for Assistance	Not specified	Past week	Past week	4 months	Care on a regular basis during past month	Anytime over past 12 months	Anytime over past 12 months	Care on a regular basis during past month
Paid CG Included	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Not specified	No	Yes
Number of Helpers per CR	7 ADL 6 IADL 2 Finance	20	1	2	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified

Notes:

^aThe ADL/IADL tasks asked of caregivers included dressing, bathing or showering, eating, transferring between bed and chair, using the toilet, dealing with diapers or incontinence, preparing meals, shopping, using transportation, managing medications, managing money, doing housework, and arranging or supervising services.

HRS = Health and Retirement Survey; NLTCS-CG = National Long Term Care Informal Caregiver Supplement; NLTCS-Community = National Long Term Care Community Module; SIPP-Disability = Survey of Income and Program Participation Disability Module; SIPP-CG = Survey of Income and Program Participation Caregiver Module; NSFH = National Survey of Families and Households; NAC = National Alliance for Caregiving/Caregiving in America Survey; BRFSS = Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; CR = Care-recipient; CG = Caregiver; ADL = Activities of Daily Living; IADL = Instrumental Activities of Daily Living