Loading...
Exploring the health and well-being of youth providing care: a mixed methods approach
Citations
Altmetric:
Date
2026-02
Abstract
Background: Conceptualised as a chronic stressor, caregiving is typically associated with increased physical and psychological risks for the caregiver. Chronic stress during formative developmental periods, including adolescence and young adulthood, increases the risk of adverse health effects throughout the lifespan. However, it is increasingly recognised that caregiving is not a uniform exposure, and its health impact varies according to individual and contextual factors.
Aim: Thus, the overarching aim of this thesis is to explore the relationship between caregiving and health in young people, with a focus on the individual and contextual factors that may heighten or protect against health risks.
Methods and Results: In Chapter 2, a systematic review of longitudinal studies showed a high risk of mental health issues in young carers, varying based on demographic and contextual factors. The findings regarding physical health were mixed and significant associations between social connection (e.g., social support, bullying) and mental health were observed. Chapter 3 utilized two waves of data from an Irish, longitudinal, population-based study (i.e., The Growing Up in Ireland Study) and showed that only young people caring for a parent were at increased risk of depression relative to non-carers, and that positive parental relationships at baseline reduced the risk of depression over time. Chapter 4 similarly utilized two waves of the Growing Up in Ireland Study to examine and compare male and female young carers to non-carers, using physiological, cardiovascular measures (i.e., systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heartrate), showing caring did not influence cardiovascular health over time, regardless of gender. However, when examining coping strategies as mediators of the association between gender and cardiovascular health in young carers, a conditional mediating effect of support seeking was observed, whereby higher support seeking reduced SBP over time in male young carers. Chapter 5 employed a critical realist thematic analysis to qualitatively explore young adult carers (n = 20) experience of social connection. These findings highlighted the role of understanding, reciprocity, and agency in promoting positive inter-personal relationships and exchanges amongst young adult carers.
Conclusion: This research highlights the health risks associated with caregiving in early life, identifying subgroups of young people who are at heightened risk of adverse consequences. Finally, this thesis frames caregiving in young people as a socially embedded process, emphasizing the importance of considering the relational context in which it occurs when examining associated health risks, and providing valuable guidance for the development of supportive interventions.
Supervisor
Description
Peer-reviewed
Publisher
University of Limerick