Abstract

Background The health of unpaid caregivers is poorer, on average, than in non-caregivers. There has been little focus on how health changes when becoming a caregiver and whether this varies by age, gender, and caregiving intensity. We aimed to investigate the mental and physical health changes involved with becoming a caregiver and whether these associations varied by gender, caregiving intensity, or age. Methods This study used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009–20) to examine mental and physical health changes around the transition to becoming a caregiver in adults aged 16 years and older. We included adults with information on care, complete covariates needed for matching, and at least one measure of health before or after becoming a caregiver (or matched non-caregiver). Health was measured via General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12, psychological distress) and 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12, physical and mental functioning). We applied piecewise growth curve modelling with propensity score matching to model trajectories of mental and physical health for caregivers and matched non-caregivers. Analyses were stratified by age group, gender, and caregiving intensity. Findings Sample sizes varied from 3025 (GHQ-12 analyses in early adulthood) to 5785 (SF-12 analyses in early mid-adulthood). Psychological distress increased during transition to caregiving for all ages, particularly in those younger than 64 years, those providing care for 20 h or more per week, and for someone living within the household. Mental health functioning worsened during caregiving transition for those aged 30–64 years, those providing 20 h or more per week, and for those caring for someone within the household. Physical health functioning did not change but there was evidence of lower levels of functioning before caregiving. Changes in mental and physical health upon transition to caregiving did not differ by gender. Interpretation Our findings highlight the importance of early identification of and support for caregivers, including younger caregivers. This is important to break the cycle of caregiving and future care need. Health services staff, including general practitioners and hospital discharge teams, are well positioned for early identification of caregivers. We also encourage particular support for the mental health of caregivers and particularly those who become caregivers at a younger age. Funding The UK Economic and Social Research Council.