Environmental Behavior Patterns among Informal Caregivers: Evidence from 27 European Countries

Abstract Background Population aging and environmental degradation represent interconnected public health challenges requiring coordinated interventions. Informal caregivers constitute a vital component of public health infrastructure, yet their role in promoting environmental health behaviors remains unexplored. This research investigates the relationship between caregiving responsibilities and environmental behaviors to inform comprehensive public health strategies. Methods We analyzed data from 41,742 respondents across 27 EU countries using the EIGE Survey (2022). From a public health perspective, we measured environmental behavior using 10 sustainable practice indicators. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regressions examined associations between caregiving status and sustainable behaviors, adjusting for sociodemographic factors relevant to public health interventions. Results Caregivers demonstrated significantly higher engagement in eco-friendly actions than non-caregivers (p < 0.001), particularly in sustainable consumption (eco-friendly products: β = 0.16; fair-trade: β = 0.15; used products: β = 0.17). Overall environmental behavior scores were higher among caregivers (33.93±8.23 vs. 31.88±8.00). This relationship persisted after controlling for demographic factors, with the largest public health implications observed in Southern and Eastern European health systems. Conclusions This research reveals a consistent relationship between elder care and environmental behaviors, suggesting caregiving fosters broader public health awareness. These findings identify an opportunity to integrate environmental education into caregiver support programs. Such integration addresses multiple public health priorities: supporting essential caregivers within aging populations, promoting environmental behaviors that reduce ecological threats, and creating synergistic interventions that enhance population health. Key messages • Caregivers consistently demonstrate greater eco-conscious behaviors, representing an opportunity for environmental public health promotion. • Public health systems should integrate caregiver support with environmental education to address multiple health determinants simultaneously.