Who cares? A comparison of informal and formal care provision in Spain, England and the USA.

TitleWho cares? A comparison of informal and formal care provision in Spain, England and the USA.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsSole-Auro, A, Crimmins, EM
JournalAgeing Soc
Volume34
Issue3
Pagination495-517
Date Published2014 Mar 01
ISSN Number0144-686X
Abstract

This paper investigates the prevalence of incapacity in performing daily activities and the associations between household composition and availability of family members and receipt of care among older adults with functioning problems in Spain, England and the United States of America (USA). We examine how living arrangements, marital status, child availability, limitations in functioning ability, age and gender affect the probability of receiving formal care and informal care from household members and from others in three countries with different family structures, living arrangements and policies supporting care of the incapacitated. Data sources include the 2006 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe for Spain, the third wave of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2006), and the eighth wave of the USA Health and Retirement Study (2006). Logistic and multinomial logistic regressions are used to estimate the probability of receiving care and the sources of care among persons age 50 and older. The percentage of people with functional limitations receiving care is higher in Spain. More care comes from outside the household in the USA and England than in Spain. The use of formal care among the incapacitated is lowest in the USA and highest in Spain.

DOI10.1017/S0144686X12001134
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24550574?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalAgeing Soc
Citation Key8047
PubMed ID24550574
PubMed Central IDPMC3925449
Grant ListU01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG012815 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P01 AG008291 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R21 AG025169 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG017265 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P01 AG005842 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States