Caring Load and Family Caregivers’ Burden in China:The Mediating Effects of Social Support and Social Exclusion

Objective: Caring for the disabled elderly is a source of stress for family caregivers, and the lack of social support and the pressure of social exclusion might aggravate family caregiver burden. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between caring load and family caregivers’ burden, as well as the mediating effects of social support and social exclusion.Methods: Data used in this study derived from the nationally representative database of aged population in China, and 3125 households with family caregivers for the home-bound disabled elderly were eventually selected into this analysis. Regression methods and mediation analysis methods were employed in this study.Results: The results indicated that there was a significant positive association between caring load and the caregiver burden, and specifically, social support intensity (rather than social support breadth) and passive social exclusion (rather than active social exclusion) played partial mediating effects. Furthermore, the contributions of mediating effects of social support intensity and passive social exclusion were 13-15% and 27%-29%, respectively, and the total contribution of mediating effects was about 35%-38%.Conclusion: Family caregivers’ burden should be paid more attention in the large population with rapidly aging speed like China, and more guidance services as well as support should be provided to family caregivers. In addition, it is crucial to focus on the social support and social exclusion in community in the public policy innovation.