Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Hours Worked by Primary Carers in Australia

ABSTRACT

Primary caregivers constitute a major unpaid workforce in Australia. The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic factors that are associated with carer workloads. Multinomial logistic regression modelling was applied to the nation‐wide Australian Government survey. Workloads were categorized as light (1–19 h/w), intermediate (20–39 h/w), or heavy (≥ 40 h/w), with the first being used as the reference category against which to contrast intermediate and heavy workloads. Receiving a support payment was associated with greater odds of having intermediate and heavy workloads, as was having unmet respite care at short notice or on an irregular basis. Living with the recipient of care was associated with significantly lower odds for intermediate and heavy care loads. For the high workload alone, higher odds were associated with carers who assist in decision making, and lower odds with those in the highest income quintile (relative to the lowest), those who did not complete Year 12, and those born in Australia. Such findings can inform the Australian Government's Carer Gateway and the various programmes of the national peak body, Carers Australia .