title: [Potential for informal care of the elderly in Germany : Results of a representative population-based survey].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well known that individuals in need for care prefer to live at home as long as they can. Due to demographic changes it is predicted that the need for long-term care will considerably increase in the next decades; therefore, it is important to know the potential of informal caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for receiving informal care perceived by older individuals and predictive factors associated with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a population-based telephone survey of the older German population (n = 1006, average age 75.2 ± 6.6 years, range 65-96 years) in 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In case of the need for care 71.7% of the individuals had someone who could provide informal care. The potential of informal care was bivariately associated with marital status, having children and self-rated health status. Multiple logistic regression revealed that the potential of informal care was positively associated with having children (odds ratio [OR] 2.5, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.7-3.7), private health insurance (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.7), providing informal care for family or friends (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.1) and current need of care (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Besides familial resources, the status of health insurance and the current need of care were important determinants of the potential for informal care. As familial resources are of utmost importance for informal care and it is expected that the geographical distance between family members will increase in the next decades, it is important to develop programs to meet the increasing demand for informal care.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Versorgungsforschung, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland. a.hajek@uke.de.
authors.forename: André
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6886-2745
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Versorgungsforschung, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehnert
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Versorgungsforschung, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Steffi G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Riedel-Heller
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Versorgungsforschung, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Hans-Helmut
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: König
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D005791:Patient Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Family caregivers; Health status; Long-term care; Needs, health services; Status of health insurance