The stress of having to care for a family member who is not self-sufficient due to chronic illness or disability puts the health of family caregivers at risk, with women being more exposed to the negative effects. This is confirmed by the data of a pilot study presented at the ISS at the conference on Stress, health and gender differences in family caregivers organized by the Center for Gender Medicine in collaboration with the Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health
The results obtained, relating to the administration of the questionnaires completed by 201 samples in the Lazio region, have shown how much lo stress is a risk factor for the onset of depressive symptoms and how much more women perceive a high level of stress than men (34% vs 14%) and are exposed to a greater health risk than men (at least one ailment after starting caregiving: 65% vs 42%; current health not good: 67% vs 53% ). Furthermore, adding a further substantial difference, women tend to have an irregular diet more than men (44% vs 33%), showing a trend reversal compared to women of the general population, while men maintain their characteristic in the greater alcohol consumption (38% vs 22%).
“The purpose of the conference – explains Marina Petriniresponsible for the event – is to increase awareness of the possible health risks associated with care-related stress in family caregivers, also considering gender-specific health differences”.
«Highlighting sex and gender differences in the health status of family caregivers – says Elena Ortona, Director of the Reference Center for Gender Medicine – is essential because it is mainly women who take on the role of care and assistance in the family, but also because gender inequalities can in turn cause health inequalities. In light of this, regional social and health policies, in planning direct support interventions for family caregivers, should consider evidence-based gender-specific differences for the purpose of preventing stress-related diseases”.
The missing law
At national level, there is still no law that identifies the protections and concessions dedicated to those who take care of a loved one who is in a condition of disability, full-time or not. The 2018 Budget Law defines the caregiver and establishes a fund, without however going into the details of a job recognition. The protection of the approximately 3 million people – mostly women – engaged in this activity, often leaving their jobs, is substantially left to the initiatives of the individual Regions. Pioneer, in this sense, was l‘Emilia Romagna, which already in 2014 approved a law for the enhancement and support of the caregiver. Since last year, the Lombardy has adopted a standard and, since last February, also the Friuli Venezia Giulia. On 3 October 2022, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities condemned Italy for the lack of protection for caregivers.
We wrote about it here: Caregiver, still without protection under Italian law