Caregiving During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study with Older Cisgender Sexual Minority Women in the United States.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study describes prevalence of caregiving before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among racially diverse older cisgender sexual minority women, examines factors associated with caregiving, and assesses relationships between caregiving and health. Methods: A convenience sample of participants aged ≥50 years completed self-administered online surveys assessing sociodemographic characteristics, caregiver status, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms. Bivariate statistics compared response variables by race, caregiver status, and timing of caregiving relative to the pandemic. Results: Of 365 participants, 82.7% identified as lesbian or gay and 41.1% as Black/African American; 40% were caregivers before (n = 32), during (n = 34), or both before and during (n = 80) the pandemic. A greater proportion of caregivers lived with a partner (45.9% vs. 35.6%, p = 0.06), were unemployed (37.7% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.07), and had high school or lower education (11.6% vs. 5%, p = 0.09). No differences were found in self-rated health by caregiver status; however, a higher proportion of Black (vs. White) caregivers reported good to excellent physical health (77.9% vs. 62.9%, p = 0.05). Caregivers more frequently reported depressive symptoms (28.1% vs. 17.8%, p = 0.03). Caregivers both before and during the pandemic had lower educational attainment than those who provided care only before or only during the pandemic (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Caregiving was common among older sexual minority women during the pandemic and experiences varied by race and other social factors. Consideration of these intersecting experiences is important for fully understanding caregiver experiences during COVID-19. Overall, caregiving was associated with depressive symptoms, underscoring the importance of psychosocial support for all caregivers.