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Unraveling the subjective well-being of formal and informal caregivers for people with dementia: a comparative analysis
Shanshan Wang, Yuqian Luo, Qiuju Shan, Minhui Liu, Peng Wang, Caihui Huang, Isaac Sze Him Leung. BMC Geriatrics, 2025-02-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Formal caregivers exhibited significantly better psychological well-being and self-rated health compared to informal caregivers. Moreover, formal caregivers reported more positive caregiving appraisals than their informal counterparts. However, there was no statistical difference in coping strategies between the two groups. The psychological well-being of informal caregivers was primarily influenced by coping (standardized β = 0.309) and caregiving mastery (standardized β = 0.270). For formal caregivers, their psychological well-being was mainly influenced by caregiving satisfaction (standardized β = 0.267) and caregiving intensity (standardized β = 0.242). Both informal (standardized β = 0.354) and formal caregivers' (standardized β = 0.156) self-rated health were influenced by passive coping. This study provides valuable insights for developing tailored interventions and support systems aimed at improving the psychological well-being and self-rated health of informal and formal caregivers of people with dementia. To enhance the psychological well-being of informal caregivers, interventions targeting improvements in coping skills and caregiving mastery can be designed; while for formal caregivers, interventions focusing on enhancing caregiving satisfaction and effective coping strategies may be beneficial. Improving the passive coping and caregiving appraisals may help improve the self-rated health of both groups.
Key findings
- Formal caregivers exhibited significantly better psychological well-being and self-rated health compared to informal caregivers.
- Moreover, formal caregivers reported more positive caregiving appraisals than their informal counterparts.
- However, there was no statistical difference in coping strategies between the two groups.
- The psychological well-being of informal caregivers was primarily influenced by coping (standardized β = 0.309) and caregiving mastery (standardized β = 0.270).
- For formal caregivers, their psychological well-being was mainly influenced by caregiving satisfaction (standardized β = 0.267) and caregiving intensity (standardized β = 0.242).
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study found that formal caregivers reported better psychological well-being, self-rated health and more positive caregiving appraisals than informal caregivers, with no statistical difference in coping strategies between the groups. It suggests tailored interventions for caregiver well-being, but does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC Geriatrics) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Geriatrics: journal h-index 153 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 6 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Isaac Sze Him Leung: h-index 9 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Chinese University of Hong Kong: institution h-index 1,100 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39915709) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wang, S., Luo, Y., Shan, Q., Liu, M., Wang, P., Huang, C., et al. (2025). Unraveling the subjective well-being of formal and informal caregivers for people with dementia: a comparative analysis. BMC Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05640-8
Vancouver
Wang S, Luo Y, Shan Q, Liu M, Wang P, Huang C, et al. Unraveling the subjective well-being of formal and informal caregivers for people with dementia: a comparative analysis. BMC Geriatrics. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12877-024-05640-8. PMID: 39915709.
BibTeX
@article{wang2025-39915709,
author = {Wang, Shanshan and Luo, Yuqian and Shan, Qiuju and Liu, Minhui and Wang, Peng and Huang, Caihui and Leung, Isaac Sze Him},
title = {{Unraveling the subjective well-being of formal and informal caregivers for people with dementia: a comparative analysis}},
journal = {BMC Geriatrics},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s12877-024-05640-8},
pmid = {39915709},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05640-8}
}
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