title: Informal caregiving transitions, subjective well-being and depressed mood: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
abstract: To prospectively investigate the impact of transitions in informal caregiving on emotional well-being over two years in a large population study of older people.
  
  
  
  Information on provision of unpaid care in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 was available for 6571 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Three well-being domains were also assessed on each occasion: life satisfaction (measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale); quality of life (assessed with the CASP-19 scale); and depression symptoms (measured using the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Multivariable analyses of the impact on well-being of two-year caregiving transitions (caregiving entry and caregiving exit, or continued caring) were conducted separately for spousal/child carers and carers of other family/non-relatives.
  
  
  
  Compared to non-caregiving, entry into spousal/child caregiving was associated with decline in quality of life (B = -1.60, p < .01) whereas entry into caregiving involving other kin relations increased life satisfaction (B = 1.02, p < .01) and lowered depression symptoms (B = -0.26, p < .05). Contrary to expectations, caregiving exit was related to increased depression in both spousal/child (B = 0.44, p < .01) and non-spousal/child (B = 0.25, p < .05) carers. Continued spousal/child caregiving was also related to decline in quality of life (B = -1.24, p < .05). Other associations were suggestive but non-significant.
  
  
  
  The emotional impact of different caregiving transitions in later life differs across kin relationships; notably, spousal and child carers' well-being was consistently compromised at every stage of their caregiving career over the two-year study period.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , University College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Snorri Bjorn
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Rafnsson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , University College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , University College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report
keywords: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; caregivers; depression; older people; quality of life