title: Informal care: choice or constraint?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  'Choice' is increasingly pursued as a goal of social policy. However, the degree to which choice is exercised when entering an informal caring role is open to debate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we examined the degree of choice and constraint in entering a caring role, and the relationship between choice and carers' well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from 1100 responses to a postal survey conducted in a British city. Statistical tests of association and multivariable regression modelling were applied to study the factors associated with choice in entering a caring role and the association that choice in entering a caring role had with carers' well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that informal care was generally perceived to be a free choice, albeit in most cases, a choice was also constrained by duty, financial or social resources. Having a sense of free choice in entering care was strongly and positively associated with the carer's well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings are consistent with a view that enabling individuals to have more choice in their caring roles may be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Unit, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Hareth
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Janabi
authors.affiliation: Business School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oyebode
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: choice; informal care; motivation; quality of life; survey; well-being