The Mental and Physical Burden of Caregiving - Evidence from Administrative Data

Magdalena A. Stroka

No 474, Ruhr Economic Papers from RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen

Abstract: This study evaluates the mental and physical strain experienced by informal caregivers. Econometric problems due to individuals selecting themselves into informal care provision are tackled by using informative and detailed data from the largest sickness fund in Germany and applying propensity score matching techniques. The findings suggest that carers take more psychoactive drugs as well as analgesics and gastrointestinal agents. Thus, informal caregiving appears to be a burdensome task with implications for both mental and physical health.

Keywords: informal care; burden; drugs; propensity score matching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age and nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:rwirep:474

DOI: 10.4419/86788536

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