Understanding the Roles of over 65-Year-Old Male and Female Carers: A Comparative Analysis of Informal Caregiving.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study aims to explore how gender influences the role of informal caregivers aged 65 years, considering the increasing involvement of men in caregiving due to longer life expectancy and societal norms. Methods: A two-year cross-sectional study was conducted in the Valencian Community, Spain, involving informal caregivers of 65 years of age and older who provided home-based care for dependent individuals with chronic conditions. The participants were recruited through public health schools, carers' associations, and clinical consultations. The caregivers completed a comprehensive semi-structured interview, which included items from the Zarit Brief Scale (seven items) to assess caregiver burden and questions about their caregiving responsibilities, training, and experience, as well as the self-perceived frequency of medication errors. Results: A sample of 80 caregivers over 65 years old was analyzed, including 23 men (28.8%) and 57 women (71.2%). Male caregivers were significantly less experienced (mean = 3.1 years, SD = 5.9) compared to female caregivers (mean = 10.1 years, SD = 13.0; p = 0.004). Men reported lower emotional and physical burdens than women (p-value = 0.003), as reflected in the Zarit scores. Caregiving performance, measured by self-reported errors, was comparable between genders. Conclusions: This study explores the growing role of older male caregivers, highlighting their lower experience and training compared to those of women but similar caregiving performance and lower burden. Additionally, trained caregivers demonstrated significantly lower odds of experiencing burden, underscoring the importance of training as a modifiable factor. The findings emphasize the need for gender-sensitive support and tailored training programs to address disparities, reduce caregiver burden, and enhance caregiving quality and equity.