Table 1.
Demographic characteristic | Mean or frequency | |
Age in years (range 22-86), mean (SD) | 56 (11.29) | |
Number of months caring (range 0-408), mean (SD) | 44 (56.94) | |
Sex, n (%) |
|
|
|
Female | 99 (83.2) |
|
Male | 18 (15.1) |
|
Missing | 2 (1.7) |
Ethnicity, n (%) |
|
|
|
White British | 112 (94.1) |
|
White other | 4 (3.4) |
|
Other | 3 (2.4) |
Employment status, n (%) |
|
|
|
Employed | 58 (48.7) |
|
Unemployed | 19 (16.0) |
|
Retired | 42 (35.3) |
Educational level, n (%) |
|
|
|
Primary school | 7 (5.9) |
|
GCSEs/equivalent | 22 (18.5) |
|
A levels/equivalent | 16 (13.4) |
|
University degree | 39 (32.8) |
|
Higher degree/equivalent | 18 (15.1) |
|
Other | 9 (7.6) |
Person being cared for, n (%) a |
|
|
|
Father | 22 (18.5) |
|
Mother | 45 (37.8) |
|
Partner | 38 (31.9) |
|
Grandparent | 3 (2.5) |
|
Aunt or uncle | 3 (2.5) |
|
Sibling | 5 (4.2) |
|
Mother- or father-in-law | 6 (5.0) |
|
Other | 3 (2.5) |
Formal support received, n (%) |
|
|
|
General practitioner | 24 (20.2) |
|
Mental health worker or counselor | 6 (5.0) |
|
Another health or social care professional | 27 (22.7) |
|
Memory clinic | 22 (18.5) |
|
Other/not specified | 8 (6.7) |
|
No formal support | 55 (46.2) |
Informal support received, n (%) |
|
|
|
Friends and/or family | 49 (41.2) |
|
Religious organizations | 2 (1.7) |
|
Recreational groups | 1 (0.8) |
|
Charities, helplines, or forums | 12 (10.1) |
|
Other/not specified | 5 (4.2) |
|
No informal support | 51 (42.8) |
aFigures total more than 100% because 6 participants reported that they were caring for more than 1 person.