Caregiving: Challenges and implications for women's health

Informal and unpaid care is an integral feature of the U.S. health care sys tem for the nation's sick, disabled, frail, and terminally ill. Much of wha t we know about caregiving is based on interviews with caregivers and, in s ome cases, care recipients. Prior studies have either not been based on a n ationally representative sample or have collected very little information a bout non-caregivers. This study, using the Commonwealth Fund 1998 Survey of Women's Health, uses a nationally representative sample of caregivers and non-caregivers to examine the health impact of providing informal and unpai d care, focusing primarily on women. Our findings indicate that caregivers experience double jeopardy. They are significantly more likely to be in poo r health and to have experienced problems getting needed care. These findin gs suggest that it is time to explore alternative or complements to informa l caregiving. They underscore the need to find more equitable ways to share caregiving costs and risk, and provide support to assist those who current ly provide care.