Loss of productivity among caregivers of dependent family members

Laura Gonzalo-Ciria; Marta Pérez De Heredia-Torres; María Isabel Vidal-Sánchez; María José López-de-la-Fuente; Elisa Bullón-Benito; Ana Poveda-García; Mariana Ortiz-Piña; María Cristina Ruiz-Garrós; Ana Gascón-Catalán; Laura Gonzalo-Ciria; Marta Pérez De Heredia-Torres; María Isabel Vidal-Sánchez; María José López-de-la-Fuente; Elisa Bullón-Benito; Ana Poveda-García; Mariana Ortiz-Piña; María Cristina Ruiz-Garrós; Ana Gascón-Catalán

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2025025

AIMS Public Health

2025, Volume 12, Issue 2: 451-469. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025025

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Research article Topical Sections

Loss of productivity among caregivers of dependent family members

1.
Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
2.
Department of Physiatry and Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

Received: 23 November 2024 Revised: 27 February 2025 Accepted: 20 March 2025 Published: 11 April 2025

Background
Assuming the care of a dependent family member can constitute a health risk factor that significantly reduces the productivity of family caregivers, compromising their future and quality of life.
Objective
Our purpose of this study was to investigate the productivity activities that are altered in the caregivers of a dependent family member and the impact this has on their satisfaction and quality of life.
Methods
An analytical observational study was conducted for 500 caregivers of dependent family members. Sociodemographic data were collected for caregivers and their dependent family members. Carers' occupational performance and satisfaction were assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization - Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref). Comparison between groups was performed using the Chi-square test for qualitative variables. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the strength and direction of linear associations between numerical variables.
Results
Most caregivers were women (72.3%, n = 364), with an average age of 60.3 ± 13.64 years. These individuals were providing care for a family member with severe dependency (69.7%, n = 348), classified as Grade III. Up to 38.2% (n = 191) of caregivers struggled with maintaining punctuality and consistency in their paid employment, and 25.6% (n = 128) of caregivers stopped or had difficulty working. In addition, 28.4% (n = 142) of caregivers had problems with household cleaning and tidying, 20.4% (n = 102) perceived that they neglected their other family members, and 18.6% (n = 93) of caregivers encountered problems attending courses and furthering their education. Women were more affected in terms of productivity. Moreover, performance and quality of life worsened as the number of productivity activities affected increased.
Conclusions
Caring for a dependent family member has a considerable impact on the caregiver's productive activities, affecting their work performance, household management, and professional development, with a particularly marked impact on women. This caregiving role is also associated with a decrease in quality of life, which highlights the need for interventions to support caregivers in these areas.
- productivity,
- work performance,
- caregiving,
- informal caregivers,
- paid work,
- household,
- education,
- occupational satisfaction,
- quality of life,
- roles
Citation: Laura Gonzalo-Ciria, Marta Pérez De Heredia-Torres, María Isabel Vidal-Sánchez, María José López-de-la-Fuente, Elisa Bullón-Benito, Ana Poveda-García, Mariana Ortiz-Piña, María Cristina Ruiz-Garrós, Ana Gascón-Catalán. Loss of productivity among caregivers of dependent family members[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2025, 12(2): 451-469. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025025

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Abstract

Background

Assuming the care of a dependent family member can constitute a health risk factor that significantly reduces the productivity of family caregivers, compromising their future and quality of life.

Objective

Our purpose of this study was to investigate the productivity activities that are altered in the caregivers of a dependent family member and the impact this has on their satisfaction and quality of life.

Methods

An analytical observational study was conducted for 500 caregivers of dependent family members. Sociodemographic data were collected for caregivers and their dependent family members. Carers' occupational performance and satisfaction were assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization - Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref). Comparison between groups was performed using the Chi-square test for qualitative variables. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the strength and direction of linear associations between numerical variables.

Results

Most caregivers were women (72.3%, n = 364), with an average age of 60.3 ± 13.64 years. These individuals were providing care for a family member with severe dependency (69.7%, n = 348), classified as Grade III. Up to 38.2% (n = 191) of caregivers struggled with maintaining punctuality and consistency in their paid employment, and 25.6% (n = 128) of caregivers stopped or had difficulty working. In addition, 28.4% (n = 142) of caregivers had problems with household cleaning and tidying, 20.4% (n = 102) perceived that they neglected their other family members, and 18.6% (n = 93) of caregivers encountered problems attending courses and furthering their education. Women were more affected in terms of productivity. Moreover, performance and quality of life worsened as the number of productivity activities affected increased.

Conclusions

Caring for a dependent family member has a considerable impact on the caregiver's productive activities, affecting their work performance, household management, and professional development, with a particularly marked impact on women. This caregiving role is also associated with a decrease in quality of life, which highlights the need for interventions to support caregivers in these areas.

Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors. The support of all the institutions and caregivers who participated in this study is gratefully acknowledged.

Authors' contribution

Conceptualisation: L.G.C., M.PH.T.; methodology: L.G.C., A.G.C., M.PH.T. and E.B.B; formal analysis: L.G.C., A.G.C., and E.B.B.; investigation: L.G.C., A.G.C., and M.PH.T.; resources: L.G.C., I.V.S. and MJ.L.F.; data curation: L.G.C. and A.G.C.; writing—original draft preparation: L.G.C., A.G.C.; E.B.B; MJ.L.F; I.B.B; A.P.G; M.O.P; MC.R.G; writing—review and editing: L.G.C.,A.G.C., M.PH.T., I.V.S., and MJ.L.F.; I.B.B; A.P.G; M.O.P; MC.R.G; visualisation: L.G.C., A.G.C.; project administration: L.G.C. and A.G.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest to declare.

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