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[Evaluation of gender differences of family caregivers with reference to the mode of caregiving at home and caregiver distress in Japan].

PURPOSE
Male caregivers are growing in number, as the frequency of spouse caregiving rapidly increases. This study aimed to examine gender differences in family caregivers with reference to the mode of caregiving and caregiver distress in Japan. It was designed to clarify the characteristics of both female and male caregivers.


METHODS
The subjects were 2,020 users of public Long-term Care Insurance, randomly stratified and sampled in Higashi-osaka city, Osaka prefecture. Data were collected through mailed, anonymous self-report questionnaires. 1,287 (63.7%) surveys were collected and data from 868 caregivers and care recipients were analyzed, after excluding incomplete cases from 947 participants who were family caregivers. We compared males and females for the level of nursing needs, cognitive disorders of their care recipients, the types and amounts of care provided, the levels of their burdens and the depression associated with providing care, the availability of informal support, the frequency of usage of Long-term care insurance services, and the types of stress coping strategies.


RESULTS
Of the total, 27.1% of the caregivers were male. Their age was higher than that of females, but the age of care recipients of female caregivers was significantly higher than that of care recipients of males. There were no significant gender differences in the level of nursing needs of recipients. However, cognitive disorders of care recipients of female caregivers were more severe. Female caregivers spent more time providing care, and performed a greater number of care activities. In particular, female caregivers assisted their care recipients in taking medications, dressing, bathing, eating, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, and money management more often to a significant degree. Furthermore, the average scores for burden and depression were higher in female than in male caregivers. Concerning the usage of Long-term care insurance services, males used a Home-helper service more often. Female caregivers used types of Informal support seeking and Positive acceptance of caregiving role as coping strategies more often than the men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that caregiver's subjective burden and types of informal support seeking, as well as acceptance of the caregiving role were significantly higher in female caregivers.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that there are significant gender differences regarding the mode of caregiving and experience of caregiver distress in Japan. It is important that future research be focused on supplying appropriate social support for family caregivers, taking gender differences into account.