Comparing mental health predictors among child and older adult caregivers in Canada: A convergent mixed methods study.

Unpaid caregiving is a vital part of Canada's care economy, with nearly half of Canadians providing care without remuneration to individuals who are dependent. Despite its prevalence, limited Canadian research has explored the mental health impacts across different caregiving contexts.

objectivesThis study examined conditions of care that predict self-reported mental health consequences among unpaid caregivers across Canada and compared these across childcare and older adult care contexts.

methodsA convergent mixed methods design was used, leveraging data from two nationally representative surveys (N = 1997) and in-depth interviews with a subset of survey respondents (N = 102). Separate regression models were conducted for childcare and older adult care samples using caregiver mental health indicators. Results were merged using joint displays.

resultsLack of leisure time and gender emerged as the strongest predictors of caregiver mental health across both datasets and care contexts, with women reporting greater mental health impacts of care than men. While paid care satisfaction and income were not significant predictors in quantitative models, qualitative data highlighted experiences of financial strain, care system challenges, and limited access to respite.

conclusionFindings underscore the need for public health policies and other interventions that address caregivers' time constraints, gender inequities, and issues of availability or access to quality care services. This study makes a unique contribution by directly comparing childcare and older adult care caregiving experiences, highlighting both shared stressors and context-specific challenges within Canada's unpaid care landscape.