Gender differences in care home admission risk: partner's age explains the higher risk for women

McCann, M. , Donnelly, M. and O'Reilly, D. (2012) Gender differences in care home admission risk: partner's age explains the higher risk for women. Age and Ageing, 41(3), pp. 416-419. (doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs022)

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> older women have a higher risk of care home admission than men, this difference remains even after accounting for variations in health. A likely reason for this is the difference in social support provided by spouses. Older men may provide less care for their wives than women do for their husbands.<p></p> <b>Objectives:</b> this study assessed two competing explanations for this. First, older men are less willing to undertake traditionally feminine caring roles; secondly, older men are less physically able to provide care.<p></p> <b>Design:</b> the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (NILS), a representative (c28%) sample of the Northern Ireland population.<p></p> <b>Findings:</b> a total of 20,830 couples were followed over 6 years, with 415 care home admissions among NILS cohort members. Women had a higher admission risk after controlling for cohort members' age and health; however, there was no gender difference after adjusting for partner's age.<p></p> <b>Conclusion:</b> these results suggest that advanced age and physical frailty explain why men provide less care for their partners than women do; rather than being unwilling to undertake a caring role. The narrowing gap in life expectancy between men and women may have an effect on the future demand for formal care.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Donnelly, Mr Michael and McCann, Dr Mark
• Authors: McCann, M., Donnelly, M., and O'Reilly, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
• Journal Name: Age and Ageing
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 0002-0729
• ISSN (Online): 1468-2834