In addition to conducting studies specifically designed to investigate caregiving, a number of researchers have found ways to study caregiving within larger research projects on epidemiology and health. These projects have the major advantage of drawing on large, population based samples, inclusion of clinically relevant measures of health and biological functioning, and longitudinal follow up allowing for the prospective study of the effects of caregiving strain on incident disease and mortality.
For example, The National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) is an ancillary study of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). NSOC consists of telephone interviews with family and others who help or have helped a participant of NHATS with self-care, mobility, or household activities (due to impaired health or functioning). NSOC was conducted during Years 1, 5, and 7 of NHATS and collects data on caregiver demographics, caregiving activities, duration and intensity of care, types of support services sought and utilized, and effects of caregiving (e.g., Moon et al., 2017).
Other studies have used the Nurses Health Study and the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) to identify the effects of caregiving on health (e.g., Hawkley, et al., 2020; Wong & Shobo, 2017).
Roth and colleagues have used the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study (a prospective study of stroke) to study the effects of caregiving using population-based measures (Haley et al., 2009; Roth et al, 2019). In addition, data from the Health and Retirement Survey (Ornstein, et al.) and National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project data have been utilized for caregiving research (Hawkley, et al.).
References
Haley, W. E., Allen, J. Y., Grant, J. S., Clay, O. J., Perkins, M., & Roth, D. L. (2009). Problems and benefits reported by stroke family caregivers: Results from a prospective epidemiological study. Stroke, 40, 2129-2133.
Hawkley, L., Zheng, B., Hedberg, E. C., Huisingh-Scheetz, M., & Waite, L. (2020). Cognitive limitations in older adults receiving care reduces well-being among spouse caregivers. Psychology and Aging, 35(1), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000406
Moon, H. M., Rote, S., & Beaty, J. A. (2017). Caregiving setting and Baby Boomer caregiver stress processes: Findings from the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC). Geriatric Nursing, 38(1), 57-62. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2016.07.006
Ornstein, K. A., Wolff, J. L., Bollens-Lund, E., Rahman, O. K., & Kelley, A. S. (2019). Spousal Caregivers Are Caregiving Alone In The Last Years Of Life. Health Affairs, 38(6), 964-972.
Roth, D. L., Sheehan, O. C., Haley, W. E., Jenny, N. S., Cushman, M., & Walston, J. D. (2019). Is family caregiving associated with inflammation or compromised immunity? A meta-analysis. The Gerontologist, 59(5), e521-e534. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnz015
Roth, D. L., Brown, S. L., David, R. J., & Haley, W. E. (2018). Reduced mortality rates among caregivers: Does family caregiving provide a stress-buffering effect? Psychology and Aging, 33(4), 619-629. doi: 10.1037/pag0000224
Wong, J. D., & Shobo, Y. (2017). Types of family caregiving and daily experiences in midlife and late adulthood: The moderating influences of marital status and age. Research on Aging, 39(6), 719-740. doi:10.1177/0164027516681050