Full-Time Caregiving during COVID-19 based on Minority Identifications, Generation, and Vaccination Status

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Demographics

Background:

• Informal caregiving research often overlooks diverse caregiver types and subgroups.
• The COVID-19 pandemic amplified existing inequities, necessitating an examination of caregiving disparities.
• Understanding variations in caregiving is crucial for addressing the needs of diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare different types of full-time caregivers and subgroups in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To identify meaningful distinctions among caregivers based on demographics and caregiving roles.
• To analyze the relationship between caregiver types, marginalized subgroups, generation, and vaccination status.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 9,854 full-time caregivers in the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey (HPS).
• Utilized multinomial logistic regression to examine relationships between caregiver characteristics and types.
• Focused on data collected between July 21 and October 11, 2021.

Main Results:

• Caregiving prevalence was low, but types of caregiving varied significantly by demographic groups.
• Disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, generation, and vaccination status influenced caregiving roles.
• Membership in marginalized groups was significantly associated with a higher relative risk of being a COVID-19 caregiver.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights significant demographic variations in full-time caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Marginalized groups experienced a disproportionately higher risk of serving as COVID-19 caregivers.
• Findings underscore the need for customized support and workforce integration strategies for diverse caregiver populations.