Gender Dynamics in Family Caregiving Systems

Family caregiving constitutes a vital component of health and social support worldwide, yet it is underpinned by complex gendered patterns. Women still perform the majority of unpaid care for children, older relatives and those with chronic illness, often at the cost of their own economic security and well-being. Men’s involvement has grown in recent decades, but typically in roles that are designated as episodic or task-orientated rather than the sustained personal care more commonly shouldered by women. Cultural expectations, social policies and workplace norms intersect to reinforce traditional gender roles, influencing who becomes the primary caregiver and the support they receive. Emerging evidence highlights how gender norms shape coping strategies, resource access and the distribution of care tasks within households. An intersectional perspective reveals that age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geography further mediate these dynamics, creating diverse caregiving experiences. Understanding these interlocking factors is essential for designing equitable support frameworks, informing policy interventions and promoting well-being for all caregivers.

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Gender Dynamics in Family Caregiving Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Caregiver burden: The multidimensional physical, emotional and financial strain experienced by those providing ongoing care to family members.

Informal caregiving: Unpaid care provided by family members or friends to someone with health limitations, lying outside formal health systems.

Gender norms: Socially constructed expectations about appropriate roles, behaviours and responsibilities associated with being male or female.

Intersectionality: An analytical framework that considers how multiple social identities (such as gender, ethnicity and class) interact to shape experiences and outcomes.

References

1. Family Caregivers' Perceptions and Experiences of Supporting Older People to Cope With Loneliness: A Qualitative Interview Study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (2024).
2. Gendered experiences of providing informal care for older people: a systematic review and thematic synthesis. BMC Health Services Research (2021).
3. Gender Differences in the Associations Between Informal Caregiving and Wellbeing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Journal of Women's Health (2020).