Informal care is linked to less heart disease in older adults
Providing informal care was associated with 15% lower odds of cardiovascular disease, with a prevalence of 8.8% in carers compared to 12.8% in non-carers.
Multicentre
Researchers analysed data from 62,881 community-dwelling adults aged 50 to 84 across 28 countries in an observational cross-sectional study. They examined whether providing informal care outside the household was associated with lifetime self-reported cardiovascular disease. Among the participants, 16,178 people, or 25.7%, provided informal care. In an analysis adjusting for age, sex, education, marital status, household wealth, and country, informal care was associated with 15% lower odds of reporting cardiovascular disease. The link was similar across sexes and age groups. The association persisted after excluding care recipients and people with functional limitations, but it weakened after excluding participants in poor self-rated health.
Why it matters
Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of disability and death in late life. The authors suggest that providing support to others outside the home may serve as an indicator of healthier cardiovascular aging.
Caveats
Because the study was cross-sectional and relied on self-reported lifetime diagnoses, it cannot show cause and effect. Healthy older adults may simply be more capable of providing care than those with existing heart conditions.
The paper
Technology for Inclusive Living; The University of Manchester
PLOS One, 9 Oct 2026
