Caregivers' family and non-family role trajectories and health outcomes

Abstract

Guided by life course theory, the current study explored the gendered relationship between family and non-family role trajectories and health outcomes among adult children providing care to aging parents. Eight waves (1992-2006) of the Health and Retirement study were utilized to examine what role trajectories exist among daughter and son caregivers (N = 1300) and whether these role trajectories were related to caregivers' health outcomes. Results indicate that a myriad of family and non-family role trajectories exist among adult child caregivers and these trajectories are related to health outcomes in different ways for daughter versus son caregivers.