Caregivers of dependent people suffer more mental health problems

Female caregivers showed a higher risk of anxiety and depression during the lockdown

A study led by IDIAPJGol researcher Constanza Jacques Aviñó has highlighted the psychological distress experienced by young caregivers and dependent individuals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The analysis, conducted in six countries (Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Spain), reveals that women living with dependent individuals were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression compared to men.

 

The conclusions of this research, published in Archives of Public Health, indicate that the psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have been deeply unequal depending on gender and socioeconomic context. In Spain, although the results were better than in South American countries, female caregivers continue to bear a significant emotional burden, stemming from a social model that still does not equitably redistribute caregiving responsibilities.

The study was based on a self-administered online survey of more than 18,000 caregivers, 73% of whom were women. The methodological analysis was based on logistic regression models and multivariate analysis to identify the factors associated with anxiety and depression.

Consequences on mental health

The study highlights the need to address caregivers' mental health from a gender perspective and through the lens of social health inequalities, as women predominantly take on caregiving responsibilities, often without remuneration. This work, which in many cases remains invisible and socially undervalued, has devastating consequences on caregivers' emotional health, especially in contexts such as lockdowns, where domestic responsibilities multiplied without respite. The research also points out that the lack of institutional resources to support caregivers is a key determining factor.

In Latin America, where socioeconomic inequalities are more pronounced, the absence of support policies for dependency exacerbates the risk of mental health problems. In contrast, in Spain, resources such as the Dependency Law serve as a partial protective factor. However, according to the study, they remain insufficient to adequately address this caregiving crisis.

Inequalities Between Latin America and Spain: A Structural Problem

The results show that women in Latin America with poorer mental health indicators were those facing greater job insecurity, inadequate housing conditions, and lower levels of higher education. These factors translate into increased psychological vulnerability. On the other hand, concerns about cohabitation and deteriorating working conditions had a more pronounced impact on men. Additionally, disparities were observed among the examined countries, with lower mental health risks among Spaniards, highlighting the importance of social protection systems and socio-structural determinants.

According to the study, the implementation of care policies that address gender issues and are based on human rights can also play a fundamental role in transforming the traditional sexual division of labour in households, thereby facilitating a shift in caregiving roles.

This study highlights that the caregiving crisis is not just a domestic issue but a structural problem that requires an urgent political and social response. The research team emphasizes the need to design intersectoral strategies that address gender inequalities and protect caregivers' mental health.

Among the proposals are the promotion of community support networks, the implementation of public policies that redistribute caregiving tasks, and the expansion of dependency care services. The research team emphasizes that “the pandemic made it clear that without a deep transformation of the care system, women will continue to bear the burden of inequalities, with severe consequences for their health and well-being.”

 

 

Article reference

López-Contreras N, López-Jiménez T, Medina-Perucha L, León-Gómez BB, Gonçalves AQ, Horna-Campos OJ, Anigstein MS, Barbosa JR, Verotti MP, Bardales-Mendoza O, Arteaga-Contreras KM, Berenguera A, Peralta A, Jacques-Aviñó C. Syndemic, mental health and living with dependent persons in Latin America and Spain: a study with a gender perspective. Arch Public Health. 2025 Jan 26;83(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s13690-024-01480-5. PMID: 39863880; PMCID: PMC11765925.