Sociodemographic Disparities in the Health Status of Informal Caregivers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the United States (U.S.), Rural-urban differences in the health and well-being of unpaid caregivers are well documented, but the intersection of rurality and race/ethnicity among caregivers remains understudied. This study aims to evaluate rural-urban and racial/ethnic differences in the health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of caregivers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data for this U.S.- based cross-sectional study comes from the 2021-2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (n = 44,274). Rao-Scott chi-square tests and logistic regression, with appropriate survey weighting, were used to analyze rural-urban and racial/ethnic differences in caregiver attributes HRQoL. Rurality was classified at the county level using the National Center for Health Statistics definition. RESULTS: Both rural and urban non-Hispanic Black caregivers had greater odds of reporting their general health as fair/poor (rural: Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 1.94, 95% CIs: 1.31-2.89; urban: aOR: 1.66, 95% CIs: 1.28-2.17) than non-Hispanic White caregivers. In rural areas, Black caregivers had lower odds reporting 14+ days of poor mental health in the past month (aOR: 0.50, 95% CIs: 0.33, 0.75) than White caregivers. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Caregiver health perception varies significantly by race/ethnicity, demonstrating a need for culturally-tailored support services for both rural and urban caregivers.