Actual conditions of working caregiver family members during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Pandemic isolation has increased the burden of informal caregiving. Work patterns have changed compared to pre-pandemic levels, with many countries promoting remote work due to government lockdown policies. The importance of support measures necessary to balance caregiving and work has been reaffirmed, as indicated by an increase in psychological distress. This study primarily investigates the factors associated with the increase in caregiving frequency among working family caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study involved a sample of 403 individuals who provided complete data from a fully structured web-based survey of workers. The participants were both employed and providing family care during the April–May 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan. Consequently, a binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted. The effect of work type on the frequency of caregiving during the pandemic was studied. It was 0.97 times odds (p = 0.008) for those who cohabited and used “measures to avoid transfer,” 5.27 times (p = 0.018) higher odds for those who utilized “reduced working hours compared to those who did not,” and 2.46 times (p < 0.001) higher odds for each hour increase in time spent at home during pandemic. Those who lived separately and used “long-term leave” were 17.07 times higher odds compared to those who did not (p = 0.005), used “short-term leave” were 9.60 times higher odds compared to those who did not (p = 0.007), while those who used “reduced working hours” were 7.13 times higher caregiving frequency compared to those who did not (p = 0.013). Regardless of whether they live together or apart, caregivers who believe “It is a filial duty to provide care to parents by oneself as a child” were found to provide care more frequently when taking “Short-term leave” compared to when they did not take it. Main factors influencing caregiving frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic included the acquisition of “reduced working hours” under flexible work arrangements (FWA), the caregiver's attitude toward caregiving, and living with the cared-for person. Contrary to previous studies, this research demonstrated that the use of FWA did not necessarily alleviate the caregiver's burden, and differences were observed in the increase or decrease in caregiving frequency based on the caregiver's attitudes and living arrangements.