Gender inequalities in caring roles – evidence on women’s material deprivation

Abstract Background Europe has faced multiple crises, including inflation, rising living and food costs, and COVID-19, worsening social inequalities. Economic hardships may impact the material deprivation of older adults, but little is known about how older adults with different caring roles may have been affected and whether there are other social determinants influencing their material deprivation and roles. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study and used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe to examine whether there are differences in the experience of material deprivation among older adults with different caring roles, including unpaid informal care, volunteer, and grandchild care, also acknowledging other social determinants. Data is mainly collected through computer-assisted personal interviews conducted every two years to understand the lives of individuals over 50 in Europe. Results Preliminary results highlight gender inequalities in caring roles, and women being more vulnerable to material deprivation, despite their caring role. Women were more likely to engage in all caring roles (p-value <0.001), to report not being able to afford unexpected expenses (66% vs. 34%; p-value <0.001), and more likely to experience energy poverty (65% vs. 35%; p-value <0.001) compared to men. Volunteers and those caring for grandchildren generally, despite their gender, had better socioeconomic status, while informal caregivers, 70% of whom were women, faced higher material deprivation. Conclusions The study highlights that women bear the most caring responsibilities and are disproportionately affected by financial instability. Some older women's vulnerability to poverty in later life may result from a combination of structural factors, such as lower lifetime earnings, interrupted careers due to various caring responsibilities, and a greater reliance on pensions. Governments can create fairer strategies to protect the well-being of aging populations. Key messages • Older women bear the most caring responsibilities and are disproportionately affected by financial instability. • Policies should acknowledge the diverse needs of older adults based on their caring roles and socioeconomic circumstances.