Gender Disparities in Care Allocation among Informal Elderly Caregivers: A literature Review

Abstract

To comprehensively understand of the informal caregiving experience, it is essential to conduct an in-depth investigation into the caregiving context, including gender, family dynamics, and the caregiver's cultural background. Among these factors, considerable research attention has been dedicated to examining the impact of gender on caregiving.
The objective of this study is to scrutinize studies that explore the association between informal care and the well-being of caregivers, with a particular focus on gender disparities within the caregiving domain. A systematic literature retrieval was conducted by querying the
Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.
The search strategy incorporated specific Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, including "informal care", "caregiver", "health problems", "employment difficulties", "social problems", "gender", and "gender disparities".
Earlier investigations into gender distinctions among caregivers for older adults have demonstrated a predominance of female caregivers, disparities in caregiving experiences, mental and physical health-related challenges, time allocation dedicated to caregiving, exposure to unpaid labor, inequalities in the distribution of unpaid work, caregiving responsibilities, and economic implications, including disparities in remuneration and pension entitlements. To promote gender equality and achieve a balance between family and work responsibilities for both men and women, there is a need to redistribute informal caregiving tasks between genders and between family and government entities.

Key policy measures to address gender disparities in the provision of home care services at a national level can be grouped into four main categories: improving the quality, accessibility, and availability of long-term care; including gender considerations in the design and implementation of family leave policies and flexible work arrangements; removing economic barriers for caregivers' employment; and challenging traditional gender roles and stereotypes.