The hidden cost of informal care: An empirical study on female caregivers' subjective well-being

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019Source: Social Science & MedicineAuthor(s): Lu Chen, Hongli Fan, Lanlan ChuAbstractUsing data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this study investigated the impact of informal care on female caregivers' subjective well-being in China. We found that informal care significantly reduced the subjective well-being of female caregivers using the instrumental variable (IV) ordered probit model. Our results revealed that the care effect on subjective well-being was more significant for rural caregivers than for urban caregivers. The more hours or more recipients care was provided for, the greater the negative impact on subjective well-being. Based on these findings, we further identified the two channels of ‘wealth’ and ‘health’ through which informal care lowered subjective well-being. These results have implications for policy makers in overcoming the challenges involved in constructing and developing a supportive system of informal care in China.
Source: Social Science and Medicine - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research