Supplementary Material for: Changes in network size, quality and composition among informal caregivers in different welfare clusters: Longitudinal analyses based on pan-European survey (SHARE)

Introduction: This study analyzed the association between transitions into informal caregiving, inside and outside their own household, and changes in network size, quality and composition among older adults (≥50 years) in four different welfare systems in Europe. Methods: Data from wave 4, 6 and 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe was used and included up to 110,823 participants (aged ≥50 years) from 12 countries. Participants were asked about informal caregiving inside and outside the household and their network size, quality (emotional closeness, contact frequency) and composition (family, friends, men, women). Adjusted Linear and Poisson Fixed Effects regression analyses were conducted. Results: Participants transitioning into any caregiving (inside or outside the household) had a larger network. More women and family members were found among all those transitioning into caregiving, but only outside caregiving was associated with more men and friends in the network. Transitioning into caregiving outside was associated with reduced network closeness and contact. Changes among caregivers outside were similar in all welfare states, but were more pronounced among caregivers inside the household of Eastern Europe. Discussion/Conclusion: Different patterns of changes in network size, quality and composition were found among adults transitioning into caregiving inside, respective, outside the household. All parameters changed among caregivers outside the household. However, the welfare system played a key role for the network changes among inside household caregivers. Thus, the micro as well as the macro context of caregiving is important for the support network of informal caregivers.

引言：本研究分析了欧洲四个不同福利体系下，50岁及以上老年人转向开展家庭内外非正式照护（informal caregiving）与其社交网络规模、质量及构成变化之间的关联。方法：本研究采用欧洲健康、老龄化与退休调查（Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe）第4、6、8轮数据，纳入来自12个国家的至多110823名50岁及以上参与者。研究询问了参与者的家庭内外非正式照护经历，以及其社交网络规模、质量（情感亲密度、接触频率）与构成（亲属、朋友、男性、女性）情况。随后开展了校正后的线性与泊松固定效应回归分析。结果：转向开展任意类型照护（家庭内或家庭外）的参与者，其社交网络规模更大。所有转向开展照护的参与者，其社交网络内的女性与亲属占比均更高；但仅家庭外照护与网络内男性及朋友占比提升相关。转向开展家庭外照护还与社交网络亲密度及接触频率下降相关。不同福利体系中，家庭外照护者的网络变化模式均较为一致，但东欧地区家庭内照护者的此类变化更为显著。讨论/结论：研究发现，转向开展家庭内、家庭外照护的成年人，其社交网络规模、质量及构成的变化模式存在差异。家庭外照护者的所有网络参数均发生了变化。然而，福利体系对家庭内照护者的社交网络变化起到关键作用。由此可见，非正式照护的微观与宏观背景，均对非正式照护者的支持社交网络具有重要意义。