Gender differences in caregiver burden among informal caregivers of people with mental illness: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Purpose

Little is known about gender differences in caregiver burden among informal caregivers of people with mental illness in China. Given the still high prevalence of traditional gender roles in caregiving, it is essential to investigate the association between caregiver/care recipient gender and caregiver burden.

Methods

A total of 1174 informal caregivers of people with mental illness in China were recruited. The 12-item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12), Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3), and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were used to assess caregivers' burden, social support, and coping style respectively. Information on caregiver, care recipient, and caregiving characteristics was also collected.

Results

In multivariate regression analysis, caregiver gender and care recipient gender were both significantly associated with caregiver burden, with male caregivers reporting less burden than female caregivers (p = 0.009) and caregivers of males with mental illness reporting more burden than those of females (p = 0.002). It was also found that more social support and higher active coping tendency were significantly associated with less caregiver burden in both overall and gender-stratified multivariate regression analyses.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that, in China, there were gender differences in caregiver burden among informal caregivers of people with mental illness. Psychiatric nurses should provide psychoeducation for caregivers, especially female caregivers and caregivers of male patients, to improve their active coping strategies and increase their social support.