Table 1.
Basic characteristics of longitudinal studies comparing occurrence of diseases/disorders between informal caregivers (IC) and non-caregivers (NC).
| First Author, Publication Year, Country [Reference] |
Year of Recruitment, Follow-up |
Study Population: N, Age [Mean (SD); Range], Women (%) |
Data Source | Description of Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rothgang, 2018, Germany [16] |
2012, 5 y |
IC vs. NC: 179,134 vs. approx. 2,300,000 (projected) members as NC from BARMER health insurance company. IC (for NC not reported) 20–44 y: 11%, 45–99 y: 89% 67% |
BARMER health insurance company: routine data of IC (n = 179,134). Weighted for general population characteristics. | The main caregiver of the care recipient based on reports to their statutory health insurance company (in Germany). The care recipient had to be in need of care according to the German Social Security Code XI. Main caregiver sociodemographic parameters: male: 30.5%, female: 69.5%; age: 0–49 y: 14.4%, 50–59 y: 26.0%, 60–69 y: 25.7%, 70–79 y: 16.2%, >80 y: 17.7%; working hours per week: no: 65.3%, 0–9 h/wk: 4.7%, 10–19 h/wk: 11.0%, 20–29 h/wk: 10.7%, >30 h/wk: 8.4%. |
| Roth, 2018, USA [17] |
2003, 7 y |
IC vs. NC: 3580 vs. 3580, 63.6 y (9.0) vs. 63.6 y (9.1), 63.0% vs. 61.3% |
The population-based Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. | The caregiver had to be older than 45 years and provide any kind of care to a family member with chronic illness or disability. |
| De Zwart, 2017, AT/BE/CH/DE/DK/ES/FR/GR/IT/ NL/SE [18] |
2004–2013, 7 y |
IC vs. NC: 423 vs. 10,048, 68.0 y vs. 61.8 y, n.r. |
The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe including people ≥ 50 years and their spouses. | The caregiver had to provide any personal care (i.e., washing, getting out of bed, or dressing) to their partner (spouse) daily or almost daily during at least three months within the past 12 months. |
| Fredman, 2015, USA [19] |
1997, 13 y |
IC vs. NC: 374 vs. 694, 81 y (0.2) vs. 81.5 y (0.1), ≥65, 100% |
Caregiver-Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (Caregiver-SOF), an ancillary study to the SOF. | The caregiver had to be a woman, assisting someone with at least one activity of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). Care recipients’ characteristics: 27% dementia, 22% frailty/general health decline, 21% stroke. Years spent caregiving (at baseline of study): <2 y: 22.2%, 2–5 y: 39.6%, >5 y: 38.2%. |
| Rosso, 2015, USA [20] |
1993–1998, 6 y |
IC vs. NC: 2138 vs. 3511, 70.1 y (3.8) vs. 69.8 y (3.7), 100% |
A subsample from the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trial of women aged 65–80 years. | The caregiver had to provide any kind of care for a family member or friend because of being sick, limited or frail. |
| O’Reilly, 2015, UK (N. Ireland) [21] |
2011, 2.8 y |
IC (1–19 h/wk, 20–49 h, ≥50 h) vs. NC: 183,842 vs. 938,937, 25–44 y: 35%, 36%, 28% vs. 42%, 45–64 y: 53%, 49%, 44% vs. 35%, ≥65 y: 12%, 16%, 28% vs. 23%, 59% vs. 51% |
Northern Ireland Mortality Study based census data and mortality register. | The caregiver had to provide any kind of care to a family member, friend, neighbour or others with long-term physical or mental illness, disability or problems related to old age. |
| Kenny, 2014, Australia [22] |
2001, 4 y |
IC vs. NC: 424 vs. 424, 48.9 y (14.8) vs. 49.7 y (15.2), ≥16 y, 60% |
IC and propensity score-matched NC from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics. | The caregiver had to provide any kind of care to a disabled spouse, adult relative or elderly parent/parent-in-law. Distribution of caregiving hours/week: <5 h/wk: 49.1%, 5–19 h/wk: 33.5%, >20 h/wk: 17.4. |
| Ramsay, 2013, UK [23] |
2001, 8 y |
IC (1–19 h/wk and ≥20 h/wk) vs. NC: 31,404 vs. 146,964, 52.0 y (9.4) and 53.7 y (10.7) vs. 50.7 y (10.9), 55% and 61% vs. 49% |
Office for National Statistics-Longitudinal Study of England and Wales (people between 35–74 years). | The caregiver had to look after or give any help/support to family members, friends, neighbours, or others with long-term physical or mental ill health, disability, or age-related problems. |
| Brown, 2009, USA [24] |
1993, 7 y |
IC (1–14 h/wk and >14 h/wk) vs. NC: 306 and 338 vs. 2732, range ≥70 y, n.r. |
Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample. | The caregiver had to provide any kind of care to their spouse. |
n.r. = not reported; y = years; h/wk = hours/week.