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Research article
Itismita Mohanty
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
The study investigates the self-assessed mental and general health status of informal carers in Australia. It evaluates the influence of carer’s health behaviours, namely: physical activity, smoking and drinking status; along with their social connectedness and workforce engagement on their health status.
Methods
The study uses a retrospective longitudinal design using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia survey, waves 5-15 (2005-2015). It includes individuals aged 15 years and older from Australian households surveyed over a period of 11 years. The sample consists of 23,251 individuals. The outcome measures include: 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. Using fixed effects regression, the analysis takes care of the issue of individuals self-selecting themselves as carers due to some predisposing factors such as age, poor health, socioeconomic status and sedentary behaviour.
Results
Informal carers suffer 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. Increasing age has a modifying impact on carers’ mental and general health outcomes. The older carers are coping better with their caregiving status than the younger ones. Moreover, physical activities have a positive influence on both mental and general health for non-cares, with more activities generating better health outcomes. Also, physical activities have a modifying impact on carers’ mental health compared to non-carers. Furthermore, the study finds that moderate levels of social drinking have beneficial modifying impact on carers’ mental and general health.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that some targeted support programs for young carers and, in general, carer focused community physical activities programs, could help to improve the poor health profiles of carers. Moreover, improved informal carer’s health would help to reduce the institutional demand for carers and could bridge the gap in carers’ demand and supply. Finally, the study identified a link between moderate levels of social drinking and carer health that needs to be further explored with more targeted future research.
Keywords
carer health, mental health, physical health
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Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 21 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 16 Oct, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 15 Oct, 2019
Editor invited
On 15 Oct, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 03 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 17 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 16 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 16 Sep, 2019
Version 1
Posted 13 Aug, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 21 Aug, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 11 Aug, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 07 Aug, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 06 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 06 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 04 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 02 Aug, 2019
Editor assigned
On 01 Aug, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Aug, 2019
Editor invited
On 31 Jul, 2019
First submitted
On 12 Jun, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
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
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
Editorial decision: Accept
On 21 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 16 Oct, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 15 Oct, 2019
Editor invited
On 15 Oct, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 03 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 17 Sep, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 16 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 16 Sep, 2019
Version 1
Posted 13 Aug, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 21 Aug, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 11 Aug, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 07 Aug, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 06 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 06 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 04 Aug, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 02 Aug, 2019
Editor assigned
On 01 Aug, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Aug, 2019
Editor invited
On 31 Jul, 2019
First submitted
On 12 Jun, 2019
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
The study investigates the self-assessed mental and general health status of informal carers in Australia. It evaluates the influence of carer’s health behaviours, namely: physical activity, smoking and drinking status; along with their social connectedness and workforce engagement on their health status.
Methods
The study uses a retrospective longitudinal design using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia survey, waves 5-15 (2005-2015). It includes individuals aged 15 years and older from Australian households surveyed over a period of 11 years. The sample consists of 23,251 individuals. The outcome measures include: 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. Using fixed effects regression, the analysis takes care of the issue of individuals self-selecting themselves as carers due to some predisposing factors such as age, poor health, socioeconomic status and sedentary behaviour.
Results
Informal carers suffer 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. Increasing age has a modifying impact on carers’ mental and general health outcomes. The older carers are coping better with their caregiving status than the younger ones. Moreover, physical activities have a positive influence on both mental and general health for non-cares, with more activities generating better health outcomes. Also, physical activities have a modifying impact on carers’ mental health compared to non-carers. Furthermore, the study finds that moderate levels of social drinking have beneficial modifying impact on carers’ mental and general health.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that some targeted support programs for young carers and, in general, carer focused community physical activities programs, could help to improve the poor health profiles of carers. Moreover, improved informal carer’s health would help to reduce the institutional demand for carers and could bridge the gap in carers’ demand and supply. Finally, the study identified a link between moderate levels of social drinking and carer health that needs to be further explored with more targeted future research.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
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