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Care in times of COVID-19: the impact of the pandemic on informal caregiving in Austria

Author

Listed:
  • Ricardo Rodrigues

    (European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research)

  • Cassandra Simmons

    (European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research)

  • Andrea E. Schmidt

    (Austrian National Public Health Institute)

  • Nadia Steiber

    (University of Vienna
    Institute for Advanced Studies)

Abstract

Much attention has been paid to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term care but the impact on informal caregivers has remained speculative. In Austria, like in other European countries, informal care is carried out overwhelmingly by (non-cohabiting) relatives. Limited care services available during the pandemic, social-distancing, increased unemployment and competing care needs within households (e.g. due to school closures) may have changed the prevalence and intensity of informal caregiving. Moreover, these changes may have increased the psychological strain experienced by caregivers. Focusing on Austria, this study aims to empirically analyse the following research questions: how have the prevalence and intensity of informal care changed due to the pandemic? How has the psychological well-being of informal caregivers been affected? We use a pre- and post-onset of the pandemic research design based on a representative survey carried out in Austria in June 2020 (N = 2000) in combination with comparable 2015 data from the European Social Survey. Findings suggest that neither prevalence nor intensity of informal care changed significantly due to the pandemic. However, the psychological well-being gap between carers and non-carers increased with the start of the pandemic, especially among men. Findings are discussed in relation to the policy measures implemented and possible policy implications for the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Ricardo Rodrigues & Cassandra Simmons & Andrea E. Schmidt & Nadia Steiber, 2021. "Care in times of COVID-19: the impact of the pandemic on informal caregiving in Austria," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 195-205, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:18:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10433-021-00611-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10433-021-00611-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jakob D’herde & Wesley Gruijthuijsen & Dominique Vanneste & Veerle Draulans & Hilde Heynen, 2021. "“I Could Not Manage This Long-Term, Absolutely Not.” Aging in Place, Informal Care, COVID-19, and the Neighborhood in Flanders (Belgium)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Vanessa Bertuzzi & Michelle Semonella & Denise Bruno & Chiara Manna & Julian Edbrook-Childs & Emanuele M. Giusti & Gianluca Castelnuovo & Giada Pietrabissa, 2021. "Psychological Support Interventions for Healthcare Providers and Informal Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of the Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Kieren J. Egan & William Hodgson & Gennaro Imperatore & Mark D. Dunlop & Roma Maguire & Alison Kirk, 2022. "Supporting Physical Activity for Informal Caregivers during and beyond COVID-19: Exploring the Feasibility, Usability and Acceptability of a Digital Health Smartphone Application, ‘CareFit’," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Di Novi, Cinzia & Martini, Gianmaria & Sturaro, Caterina, 2023. "The impact of informal and formal care disruption on older adults’ psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in UK," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    5. Klara Raiber & Ellen Verbakel & Alice Boer, 2022. "Testing the informal care model: intrapersonal change in care provision intensity during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1287-1300, December.
    6. Thorsten Kneip & Axel Börsch-Supan & Karen Andersen-Ranberg, 2022. "Social, health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from a European perspective," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 789-792, December.
    7. Sara Santini & Marco Socci & Paolo Fabbietti & Giovanni Lamura & Andrea Teti, 2022. "Factors Worsening and Mitigating the Consequences of the COVID-19 Outbreak on the Overall Health of Informal Caregivers of Older People with Long-Term Care Needs Living in Germany and in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-21, February.
    8. José Luis Carballo & Ainhoa Coloma-Carmona & Sara Arteseros-Bañón & Virtudes Pérez-Jover, 2021. "The Moderating Role of Caregiving on Fear of COVID-19 and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, June.
    9. Giulia Landi & Kenneth I. Pakenham & Silvana Grandi & Eliana Tossani, 2022. "Young Adult Carers during the Pandemic: The Effects of Parental Illness and Other Ill Family Members on COVID-19-Related and General Mental Health Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Katja Möhring & Sabine Zinn & Ulrike Ehrlich, 2023. "Family care during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Germany: longitudinal evidence on consequences for the well-being of caregivers," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Costi, Chiara & Hollingsworth, Bruce & O'Sullivan, Vincent & Zucchelli, Eugenio, 2023. "Does caring for others affect our mental health? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).

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