Easing caregiver strain: The power of health check-ups

Against the backdrop of global aging and escalating pressures on family caregiving, this study delves into the impact of health check-ups for the elderly on alleviating the objective burden of family caregiving by analyzing China's Free Health Check-up Program (FHCP). Using an unbalanced panel dataset spanning 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020, comprising approximately 35,000 observations of the elderly population aged 65 and above, the research employs the Difference-in-Differences method. The research reveals a significant 9.18% reduction in family caregiving time following the implementation of FHCP, primarily attributed to the enhancement of the elderly's self-care abilities and health awareness. This study elucidates, for the first time, the efficacy and mechanisms of health check-ups in alleviating caregiving objective burdens, providing evidence for the formulation of pertinent policies. It underscores the significance of routine health check-ups as a public health intervention in supporting family caregivers and addressing the challenges of aging.