https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4861-7160
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Ruotong Liu, Corey L Nagel, Siting Chen, Heather G Allore, Ana R Quiñones, Informal Care Receiving Among Older Adults: The Role of Multimorbidity and Intersectional Social Position, The Gerontologist, Volume 65, Issue 5, May 2025, gnaf071, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf071
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Abstract
Older adults with distinct multimorbidity combinations may require varying intensities of informal care and these needs may vary in important ways by race/ethnicity and sex. This study aims to examine informal care-receiving characteristics among older adults with varying multimorbidity patterns and race/ethnicity-sex characteristics.
A total of 4,875 participants from the National Health and Aging Trends Study were included. Five clinically informed multimorbidity categories (no condition(s), somatic-only, depression without cognitive impairment, cognitive impairment without depression, both depression, and cognitive impairment) and 6 intersectional groups (non-Hispanic White female, non-Hispanic White male, non-Hispanic Black female, non-Hispanic Black male, Hispanic female, and Hispanic male) were assessed. Negative binomial regression was applied to explore the associations among multimorbidity groups, race/ethnicity and sex combinations, and informal care-receiving characteristics.
Compared with the somatic-only multimorbidity group, individuals with no condition(s) received assistance with fewer ADL/IADL activities, whereas the cognitive impairment multimorbidity group received assistance with more ADL/IADL activities. Across race/ethnicity-sex groups, non-Hispanic White and Black males received assistance with fewer ADL/IADL activities, and no statistical significance was found for non-Hispanic Black females or Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic White female counterparts. Sensitivity analysis examining assistance with only ADL activities revealed the same pattern.
The study highlighted the complexities of informal care-receiving characteristics among older adults, particularly among those with cognitive difficulties, and the ways in which race/ethnicity and sex are associated with care-receiving patterns. The findings highlight a need for person- and family-centered interventions sensitive to the diverse needs of care-recipients and caregivers.
