Dataset Information

Young Adult Carers in the UK-New Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

ABSTRACT: Despite growing interest in young adult carers, little is known about trends in prevalence of caregiving among young adults aged 16-29. Furthermore, few studies have so far investigated demographic, health, and socioeconomic inequalities in the duration of care among young carers as well as demographic differences in caregiving characteristics. Using data from 11 waves of the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009-2021), we first estimated the prevalence of caregiving among 16-29 years-old adults at each wave. Results show that about 9% of those aged 16-29 provided care, and that this prevalence remained stable throughout the 2010s. Then, selecting respondents who participated for three waves of more, we assessed demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics associated with duration of care using ordinal regression models. Almost 52% of carers cared at two or more waves. Compared to non-carers, those who cared had more disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, were from ethnic minorities and reported poorer health, particularly if they cared at two or more waves. Finally, focusing on carers, we tested differences by sex, age, and urbanicity in care relationships, intensity, and duration. Overall, women and those aged 25-29 cared for longer hours, for more people, and for more years than men and younger carers respectively. Put together, these findings provide an up-to-date description of young carers in the 2010s in the UK.

SUBMITTER: Di Gessa G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9656039 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Young Adult Carers in the UK-New Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

Di Gessa Giorgio G Xue Baowen B Lacey Rebecca R McMunn Anne A

International journal of environmental research and public health 20221028 21

Despite growing interest in young adult carers, little is known about trends in prevalence of caregiving among young adults aged 16-29. Furthermore, few studies have so far investigated demographic, health, and socioeconomic inequalities in the duration of care among young carers as well as demographic differences in caregiving characteristics. Using data from 11 waves of the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009-2021), we first estimated the prevalence of caregiving am ...[more]

PMID: 36360950

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Project description:ObjectivesLow-quality and precarious employment have been associated with adverse mental health and wellbeing. More evidence is needed on how the quality of employment trajectories - including transitions in and out of unemployment, inactivity, and employment of varying quality - are associated with individuals' mental health over time. This paper aimed to derive a typology of multidimensional employment trajectories and assess associations with mental health in the UK.MethodsData from waves 1-9 of the UK Household Longitudinal Study were used (2009-2019). Individuals aged 30-40 at baseline were included (N=1603). Using multichannel sequence and clustering analyses, we derived a typology of employment trajectories across employment statuses and four employment quality indicators. We assessed associations with subsequent psychological distress, accounting for baseline mental health. Changes in average General Health Questionnaire scores are described.ResultsA typology of five trajectory clusters highlighted stable and secure and precarious/low-quality trajectories for both men and women. Women who reported being economically inactive at most waves had higher odds of experiencing psychological distress than did women in 'standard' trajectories, regardless of baseline mental health. Women's scores of psychological distress in the 'precarious' group on average increased along their trajectories characterized by instability and transitions in/out of unemployment, before a move into employment. Men who likely moved in and out of unemployment and economic inactivity, with low probability of paid employment, reported increased psychological distress at the end of follow-up. This may partly be due to pre-existing mental ill-health.ConclusionThis paper shows the importance of high-quality employment for individuals' mental health over time. Researchers need to consider dynamic associations between employment quality and mental health across the life-course.

Project description:Overcrowding has been regarded as indicating material deprivation and treated as a proxy measure for individual socioeconomic status. Conventionally, 'persons per room' (PPR) has been employed to identify overcrowded households in UK survey data, though the 'bedroom standard' (BS) approach or the 'modified bedroom standard' (MBS) approach has been thought to capture overcrowded households better. Little is known about which overcrowding measure will perform well in regard to construct and face validity. In this work, associations between three overcrowding measures and socioeconomic (income and household tenure status) and health (satisfied with health and GHQ12) indicators were assessed, using the UK Household Longitudinal Study Wave 6 data. PPR, BS and MBS were derived using relevant housing grid information and housing information from the dataset, which were aggregated at a household level (N = 18,848). Raw scores were categorised into 'under occupied (rooms < people)', 'balanced (rooms = people)', 'overcrowded (rooms < people)' according to an established cut-off point for each overcrowding measure. Kappa coefficient was used to assess the level of agreement between overcrowding measures. Construct validity of the measures were tested against log-transformed household equivalised income and housing tenure status as well as with each component of overcrowding measures. Using individual data (N = 38,455), face validity of the overcrowding measures was tested against satisfaction with health and mental health indicated by GHQ12. Each overcrowding measure has a fair agreement with the others (kappa = 0.44, p<0.001). All overcrowding measures were significantly correlated with income and household tenure in a similar manner. However, components of overcrowding measures were associated differently to these socioeconomic indicators, while they were better correlated with satisfaction with health compared to GHQ12, showing a complex aspect of overcrowding measures. In sum, use of PPR as a socioeconomic indicator is reasonable. However, given the complexity of the mechanism of health inequalities, the relevant household information is required to understand the link.

Dataset Information

Young Adult Carers in the UK-New Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

Publications

Young Adult Carers in the UK-New Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

Similar Datasets

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