Caregiving

11 papers13 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

6 independent labs in 4 countries
1 finding against

Funders: Australian Government and 2 more

Humans11

Outcomes

Cardiovascular health

no changein humans1downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving has no effect on cardiovascular health in humans.
“Follow-up analyses revealed the effects of wave 2 caregiving and stress did not relate to wave 3 cardiovascular health.”
Humanslongitudinally from Wave 2 to Wave 3
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE PATHWAYS FROM DAILY STRESS TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN CAREGIVERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024
Caregiving impairs cardiovascular health in humans.
“In Wave 2, caregiving was related to lower cardiovascular health for those with more stressors”
HumansWave 2, for those with more stressors
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE PATHWAYS FROM DAILY STRESS TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN CAREGIVERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Medical specialist visits

upin humans1

1 study

Caregiving increases medical specialist visits in humans (1.22 (1.06, 1.40)).
“Accessing medical specialists did not differ between caregivers and controls until after stopping caregiving, when caregivers had higher odds [1.22 (1.06, 1.40)].”
Humansafter stopping caregivingfemales
Health and health service use of Australian female live-in caregivers at multiple caregiver trajectory timepoints: a population-based dataset with time-matched controls
Age and ageing3 Aug 2026

Mental health

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving impairs mental health in humans (-5.56 (-6.61, -4.51) on SF-36 MH).
“Caregivers had poorer MH on all three measures [eg, -5.56 (-6.61, -4.51) on SF-36 MH]”
Humansfemales
Health and health service use of Australian female live-in caregivers at multiple caregiver trajectory timepoints: a population-based dataset with time-matched controls
Age and ageing3 Aug 2026

Physical function

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving impairs physical function in humans (-2.39 (-3.68, -1.10)).
“caregivers had significantly poorer PF over time including during [2.39 (-3.68, -1.10)]”
Humansduring caregivingfemales
Health and health service use of Australian female live-in caregivers at multiple caregiver trajectory timepoints: a population-based dataset with time-matched controls
Age and ageing3 Aug 2026

Global cognition

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving impairs global cognition in humans (Cohen’s d approximately .2 SD units).
“transitioned caregivers performed worse on episodic memory and global cognition after transitions”
Humans
Longitudinal Impact of Transition to Caregiving on Cognitive Functioning: A Matched Case-Control Study
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025

Episodic memory

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving impairs episodic memory in humans (Cohen’s d approximately .2 SD units).
“transitioned caregivers performed worse on episodic memory and global cognition after transitions”
Humans
Longitudinal Impact of Transition to Caregiving on Cognitive Functioning: A Matched Case-Control Study
GSA 2025 abstract31 Dec 2025

Cognitive function

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving impairs cognitive function in humans (b=-0.098, p=0.007).
“increased caregiving had a direct effect on cognition, b=-0.098, t(767)=-2.73, p=0.007”
Humanscare recipientn = 772
CAREGIVING AFFECTS WORKING MEMORY, HOPELESSNESS, AND PERCEIVED CONTROL: A MEDIATION MODEL
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Perceived control

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving decreases perceived control in humans (b=-0.08, p=0.02).
“increased caregiving led to decreased perceived control, b=-0.08, SE=0.04, p=0.02”
Humanscare recipientn = 772
CAREGIVING AFFECTS WORKING MEMORY, HOPELESSNESS, AND PERCEIVED CONTROL: A MEDIATION MODEL
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Hopelessness

upin humans1

1 study

Caregiving increases hopelessness in humans (b=0.10, p=0.004).
“there was an indirect effect of increased hours of caregiving on hopelessness in the care recipient, b=0.10, SE=0.36, p=0.004”
Humanscare recipientn = 772
CAREGIVING AFFECTS WORKING MEMORY, HOPELESSNESS, AND PERCEIVED CONTROL: A MEDIATION MODEL
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Daily stressors

upin humans1

1 study

Caregiving increases daily stressors in humans (B = -0.08, p = 0.02).
“caregiving was only related to increased stressors in women, not in men, at Wave 2 (BWave2 = -0.08, p= 0.02; BWave3 = -0.01, p= 0.84).”
Humansin women at Wave 2females
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE PATHWAYS FROM DAILY STRESS TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN CAREGIVERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Associations

Frailty

upin humans1

1 study

Caregiving raises the risk of frailty in humans (aOR 1.43 (95% CI 1.08–1.88)).
“socialize in the role of caregiver (aOR=1.43, p=0.01, 95% C.I.=1.08 to 1.88) showed significantly higher odds of being frail”
Humansn = 10,762
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PATTERNS OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND FRAILTY STATUS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Cognitive function

downin humans1

1 study

Caregiving is associated with cognitive function in humans (p <.001).
“Caregivers had lower cognition than non-caregivers (p <.001).”
Humans
HOW CAREGIVING SHAPES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACTIVITY DIVERSITY AND COGNITION
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024