Patterns of multiple caregiving and the influence on depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China

With extended life expectancy, middle-aged and older adults have become more involved in multiple types of caregiving. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of multiple caregiving on the basis of the level of participation in parent care, spouse care, and grandchild care and to determine whether these patterns predict follow-up depressive symptoms. Data were obtained from the 2011-2018 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A total of 11,775 participants aged 50 years and older in 2011 were included in the latent class analysis to identify the patterns of multiple caregiving. A regression model was used to analyse the associations between baseline caregiving patterns and subsequent depressive symptoms. The results revealed four caregiving patterns: "part-time care for all," "full-time parent care and grandchild care," "part-time spouse care," and "full-time spouse care." Compared with the "part-time care for all" group, the "full-time spouse care" group and the "part-time spouse care" group reported significantly greater depressive symptoms seven years later, whereas the "full-time parent care and grandchild care" group did not significantly differ. The use of categorising multiple caregiving could vividly describe middle-aged and older adults' engagement in caregiving activities and provide a comprehensive prediction of mental health outcomes. Social services should be tailored to sandwiched caregivers in certain caregiving patterns.