DRIVERS AND MODERATORS OF RURAL-URBAN DIFFERENCES IN CAREGIVING INTENSITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE - Article abstract citation

Sep 29, 2026

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Study examines rural-urban disparities in caregiving intensity and caregivers’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults. Data were abstracted and merged from 2022–2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n=31,164) and analyzed with generalized linear models adjusting for demographics, social determinants of health, and complex sampling. Rural caregivers show higher odds of providing more than 20 hours/week of care, reporting fair/poor general health, and reporting poorer physical health, while mental health and Alzheimer’s/dementia caregiving show lower likelihood. Findings indicate geography-informed policies are needed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study background

Data sources and methods

Key findings: caregiving intensity and HRQoL

Implications for policy and interventions

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 239 of poor physical health (OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.07-1.26). However, rural caregivers had a lower likelihood of reporting >5 days/month of poor mental health (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.82-0.96) and providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia (OR 0. 87, 95%CI 0.77-0.98) than urban caregivers. There were no significant differences in associations between caregiving intensity and HRQoL by rural-urban status. The study identified notable rural-urban differences in caregiving intensity and aspects of HRQoL that likely impact the health and quality of life of informal caregivers, suggesting that policies and interventions to address caregiver needs must account for geographic context. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.800 DRIVERS AND MODERATORS OF RURAL-URBAN DIFFERENCES IN CAREGIVING INTENSITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE Steven Cohen1, and Mary Greaney2, 1. University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States, 2. University of Rhode Island Department of Health Studies, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States Rural-urban disparities are pervasive among older adults and their caregivers. Rural areas in the US have less access to services and a disproportionately high population of older adults, and are more reliant on informal, family caregivers than those in urban and suburban areas. There is a need to understand critical, rural-urban differences in caregiving intensity and caregiver health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across the US. Data were abstracted and merged from the 2022 and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n=31,164), a nationally representative data set. Generalized linear models were used to assess associations between rural-urban status and caregiving intensity and HRQoL, and model associations between caregiving intensity and HRQoL, adjusting for demographics and social determinants of health and accounting for complex sampling. Rural caregivers had a significantly higher likelihood of providing >20hours/week of care (odds ratio [OR] 1.10, 95%CI 1.01-1.19), reporting fair/poor general health (OR 1.30, 95%CI 1.19-1.42) and having >5 days/month

FAQs

What data and sample size were used in the study?

The analysis used data abstracted and merged from the 2022 and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, totaling n=31,164.

How did the study assess rural-urban differences?

It applied generalized linear models to evaluate associations between rural-urban status and caregiving intensity and HRQoL, and between caregiving intensity and HRQoL, while adjusting for demographics, social determinants of health, and complex sampling.

What were the main differences between rural and urban caregivers?

Rural caregivers were more likely to provide over 20 hours per week and report fair/poor general health and poorer physical health. They were less likely to report more than 5 days per month of poor mental health and to provide care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia.

Sep 29, 2026

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