Does caregiving make a difference? Health penalty and family caregivers during the pandemic in China

Objective

This study aimed to examine the health penalty of primary family caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Background

Family caregivers often experience social disadvantages and structural marginalization. In the growing literature on the multidimensional system of the family caregiver penalty, insufficient research efforts have been made to understand the health dimension.

Method

We conducted a national online survey with 2,819 Chinese citizens aged 18 years and older. They completed the questionnaire on their personal and family experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted logit models and generalized ordered logit models to discuss the health penalty of primary family caregivers.

Results

We found that, compared with individuals who did not serve as primary family caregivers, primary family caregivers were more likely to become infected by the virus when China adopted the zero-COVID policy approach, suffered from more severe symptoms during infection when China lifted all the control measures, and took a longer period to recover. Primary family caregivers of different gender and different care duties experienced the health penalty in different patterns, and female primary family caregivers, those living with underage children, and those living with other adult family members were identified as the more disadvantaged groups.

Conclusion

This study confirms the health penalty for primary family caregivers and social disparities during the pandemic in China.

Implications

The findings called for policy to address family and caregiver well-being in public health crises.