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Research article
Itismita Mohanty
University of Canberra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9013-1068
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Informal carers suffer from worse health outcomes than non-carers due to their caregiving role. Yet, in a society carers health is as important as that of their care recipients. This study investigated the self-assessed mental and general health outcomes of informal carers in Australia. It evaluated the influence of carers’ personal social capital- a logically linked sequence of their social behaviour such as community participation, social support and trust in others- on their health outcomes. The study estimated the magnitude of small area level variation at Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) along with individual level variation in carers’ health outcomes.
Methods: The study used a multilevel mixed effects cross-sectional design using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia survey, wave 14. It included Australians aged 15 years and older that were surveyed in the year 2014. The sample consisted of 12,767 individuals and 5004 SA1s. The outcome measures included- mental health, general health and physical functioning, domains of the Short Form 36 Questionnaire, a widely used multi-dimensional measure of health-related quality of life.
Results: Informal carers suffered from poor mental (Beta = -0.587, p=0.003) and general health (Beta = -0.670, p=0.001) outcomes compared to non-carers in Australia. These health outcomes exhibited significant variation acrossSA1s in Australia, with 12-13% variation in general and mental health. However, within small local areas, differences at the individual level, accounted for most of the variation in outcomes. Moreover, levels of community participation, personal social connection and trust, as perceived by individuals in the communities, had a positive influence on both mental and general health of carers and non-carers, and were more beneficial for carers compared to non-carers.
Conclusion: It seems that the positive influence of social capital for carers helps them in coping with the negative impact of their caregiving duty on health outcomes. Findings suggested that some targeted community support programs for carers to build on their personal social cohesion and trust in their community could help in improving their poor health profiles. Moreover, improved informal carers’ health may help the health system in better managing their resources.
Keywords
Informal Carers Health
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
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Submission checks complete
On 17 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 10 Nov, 2020
Version 4
Posted 05 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editor assigned
On 30 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 21 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 25 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 23 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 30 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 17 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 07 Apr, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
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See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Itismita Mohanty
University of Canberra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9013-1068
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 17 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 10 Nov, 2020
Version 4
Posted 05 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editor assigned
On 30 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 21 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 24 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 25 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Jun, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 23 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 May, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 01 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 30 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 17 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 07 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background: Informal carers suffer from worse health outcomes than non-carers due to their caregiving role. Yet, in a society carers health is as important as that of their care recipients. This study investigated the self-assessed mental and general health outcomes of informal carers in Australia. It evaluated the influence of carers’ personal social capital- a logically linked sequence of their social behaviour such as community participation, social support and trust in others- on their health outcomes. The study estimated the magnitude of small area level variation at Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) along with individual level variation in carers’ health outcomes.
Methods: The study used a multilevel mixed effects cross-sectional design using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia survey, wave 14. It included Australians aged 15 years and older that were surveyed in the year 2014. The sample consisted of 12,767 individuals and 5004 SA1s. The outcome measures included- mental health, general health and physical functioning, domains of the Short Form 36 Questionnaire, a widely used multi-dimensional measure of health-related quality of life.
Results: Informal carers suffered from poor mental (Beta = -0.587, p=0.003) and general health (Beta = -0.670, p=0.001) outcomes compared to non-carers in Australia. These health outcomes exhibited significant variation acrossSA1s in Australia, with 12-13% variation in general and mental health. However, within small local areas, differences at the individual level, accounted for most of the variation in outcomes. Moreover, levels of community participation, personal social connection and trust, as perceived by individuals in the communities, had a positive influence on both mental and general health of carers and non-carers, and were more beneficial for carers compared to non-carers.
Conclusion: It seems that the positive influence of social capital for carers helps them in coping with the negative impact of their caregiving duty on health outcomes. Findings suggested that some targeted community support programs for carers to build on their personal social cohesion and trust in their community could help in improving their poor health profiles. Moreover, improved informal carers’ health may help the health system in better managing their resources.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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