Gendered Burden in Family-Based Informal Care for Older Adults in Kazakhstan
Abstract
Background: Informal caregiving is central to long-term care, especially where formal services are limited. In Kazakhstan, rapid population ageing and underdeveloped formal care place disproportionate responsibility on families, highlighting potential gender inequalities. This study aims to assess care-related burden and quality of life among informal caregivers providing care to older adults in Kazakhstan.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four Kazakhstani cities (January-July 2023) with 400 informal caregivers. Data were collected via the iVICQ questionnaire, including CarerQol-7D, CarerQol-VAS, and Caregiver Strain Index plus (CSI+). Multivariate regression analyses identified predictors of quality of life and caregiver burden.
Results: Caregivers’ mean age was 42.7 ± 12.7 years, most were women (79.3%), family members (81.8%), with higher education (52.3%). Mean CarerQol-7D was 87.2 ± 49.5, CarerQol-VAS 8.1 ± 1.9. Nearly half (47.3%) reported burden, 15.3% experienced high burden (CSI+). Key challenges included physical health, financial strain, daily activity limitations, and relationship difficulties. Female caregivers had higher odds of burden (OR = 4.87, 95% CI: 1.38–17.10). Caregiver health and caregiving hours also predicted burden. Higher care-related quality of life correlated with better caregiver and recipient health, while Kazakh ethnicity was linked to higher quality of life and lower burden, suggesting protective cultural and family support.
Conclusions: Informal caregiving in Kazakhstan imposes substantial burden, with women disproportionately affected. Cultural factors may buffer some negative impacts, but reliance on informal care raises sustainability concerns. Integrating caregiver assessment into routine care and developing gender-sensitive, community-based support, including respite care, is essential to reduce inequalities and enhance caregiver well-being.
Key messages: • Caregiving in Kazakhstan is highly gendered, women face disproportionate burden.
• Gender-sensitive, culturally adapted support and respite services are critical to strengthen long-term care and improve caregiver outcomes.
Related
- Invisible Burden: Experiences and Unmet Needs of Informal Caregivers of Older Adults in Kazakhstan
- The Informal Care Burden of Older Adults with Disability, Dementia, and Concurrent Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity: A Qualitative Study Based on Social Ecosystem Theory
- Unmet Needs and Caregiving Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Older Adults: A Qualitative Study
- Informal Caregiver Experiences in Colorectal Cancer Care: Qualitative Study in Kazakhstan
- Hidden Impact of Hemodialysis on Informal Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Study of Caregiver Burden in North India
BibTeX
@article{zhylkybekova2026gendered,
title = {{Gendered Burden in Family-Based Informal Care for Older Adults in Kazakhstan}},
author = {A Zhylkybekova and GK Koshmaganbetova and K Nyssanbayeva and AM Grjibovski and N Glushkova},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.893},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.893},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Gendered Burden in Family-Based Informal Care for Older Adults in Kazakhstan
AU - A Zhylkybekova
AU - GK Koshmaganbetova
AU - K Nyssanbayeva
AU - AM Grjibovski
AU - N Glushkova
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.893
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.893
AB - Background: Informal caregiving is central to long-term care, especially where formal services are limited. In Kazakhstan, rapid population ageing and underdeveloped formal care place disproportionate responsibility on families, highlighting potential gender inequalities. This study aims to assess care-related burden and quality of life among informal caregivers providing care to older adults in Kazakhstan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four Kazakhstani cities (January-July 2023) with 400 informal caregivers. Data were collected via the iVICQ questionnaire, including CarerQol-7D, CarerQol-VAS, and Caregiver Strain Index plus (CSI+). Multivariate regression analyses identified predictors of quality of life and caregiver burden. Results: Caregivers’ mean age was 42.7 ± 12.7 years, most were women (79.3%), family members (81.8%), with higher education (52.3%). Mean CarerQol-7D was 87.2 ± 49.5, CarerQol-VAS 8.1 ± 1.9. Nearly half (47.3%) reported burden, 15.3% experienced high burden (CSI+). Key challenges included physical health, financial strain, daily activity limitations, and relationship difficulties. Female caregivers had higher odds of burden (OR = 4.87, 95% CI: 1.38–17.10). Caregiver health and caregiving hours also predicted burden. Higher care-related quality of life correlated with better caregiver and recipient health, while Kazakh ethnicity was linked to higher quality of life and lower burden, suggesting protective cultural and family support. Conclusions: Informal caregiving in Kazakhstan imposes substantial burden, with women disproportionately affected. Cultural factors may buffer some negative impacts, but reliance on informal care raises sustainability concerns. Integrating caregiver assessment into routine care and developing gender-sensitive, community-based support, including respite care, is essential to reduce inequalities and enhance caregiver well-being. Key messages: • Caregiving in Kazakhstan is highly gendered, women face disproportionate burden. • Gender-sensitive, culturally adapted support and respite services are critical to strengthen long-term care and improve caregiver outcomes.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -