Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33882871›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2021

Association between primary caregiver type and mortality among Chinese older adults with disability: a prospective cohort study.

Yangyujin Liu, Haoxue Li, Bei Wu, Xiaoting Liu, Honglin Chen, Hai-Yu Jin, Chenkai Wu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
3.0field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Cross-national comparison of the association between adult child educational attainment and older parents' functional health.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Yangyujin LiuGlobal Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Academic Building 3038, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu, China.
Haoxue LiGlobal Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Academic Building 3038, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu, China.
Bei WuRory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, USA.
Xiaoting LiuDepartment of Social Security & Risk Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Honglin ChenDepartment of Social Work, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Hai-Yu JinGlobal Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Academic Building 3038, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu, China.
Chenkai WuGlobal Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Academic Building 3038, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu, China. chenkai.wu@dukekunshan.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-2256-0653
Duke Kunshan University · CNFudan University · CNNew York University · USZhejiang University · CN

Funding

National Major Science and Technology Projects of China 2020YFC2005600Suzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau SS2019069
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocio-demographic transitions have dramatically changed the traditional family care settings in China, caused unmet care needs among older adults. However, whether different primary caregiver types have different influences on disabled older adults' health outcomes remain poorly understood. We aimed to examine the association between the type of primary caregiver (e.g., spouse and children) and death among community-dwelling Chinese older adults disabled in activities of daily living.

methodsWe used data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The analytic sample comprised 4278 eligible adults aged ≥ 80 years. We classified primary caregiver type into five categories: spouse, son/daughter-in-law, daughter/son-in-law, grandchildren, and domestic helper. We used Cox regression model to examine the association between primary caregiver type and all-cause mortality. Covariates included age, sex, residence, years of education, co-residence status, financial independence, whether living with children, number of ADL disability, number of chronic conditions, and self-reported health, cognitive impairment, and caregiving quality.

resultsMarried older adults whose primary caregivers were son/daughter-in-law had a 38% higher hazard of death than those who had spouse as the primary caregiver. Married men who received care primarily from son/daughter-in-law or daughter/son-in-law had a 64 and 68% higher hazard of death, respectively, than those whose primary caregiver was spouse. The association between primary caregiver type and mortality among widowed older adults differed between urban and rural areas. Urban residents who had domestic helpers as the primary caregiver had an 16% lower hazard of death, while those living in rural areas had a 50% higher hazard of death, than those having son/daughter-in-law as the primary caregiver.

conclusionsThe quality of care of the primary caregiver may be a risk factor for mortality of disabled older adults in China. Interventions are necessary for reducing unmet needs and managing care burden.

Indexed as

CaregiversPersons with DisabilitiesActivities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overChinaHumansMaleProspective StudiesCaregiverChinaDeathInformal caregivingUnmet care needs

Identifiers

PMID33882871
PMCPMC8061058
OpenAlexW3154459777

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.