Associations of Caregiver-Reported Unmet Needs and Burden-Related Indicators With Excellent Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study

Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing · Published 2026-03-01 · DOI 10.1177/00469580261466521

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Abstract

Introduction Informal caregivers provide essential assistance to older adults living at home, but can experience burden and unmet needs. While caregiver burden is well studied, its conceptual boundaries and relationship to unmet needs remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of caregiver-reported unmet needs and burden-related indicators with excellent well-being among informal caregivers. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 352 informal caregivers of older adults receiving home nursing services in Iceland, using the interRAI Self-Reported Carer Needs (SCaN) assessment. Caregiver well-being was dichotomized into excellent and non-excellent. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to examine associations of caregiver-reported unmet needs and burden-related indicators with excellent well-being. Results The most frequently reported caregiver unmet needs concerned episodic relief (44.5%), psychological counseling (31.6%), and health education (30.5%). In the final hierarchical model, caregiver-reported care-recipient unmet need for housing adaptation (OR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.19–0.92]) and caregiver unmet need for psychological counseling (OR = 0.44, 95% CI [0.22–0.85]) were associated with lower odds of excellent well-being. Decreased social activities due to caregiving (OR = 0.47, 95% CI [0.24–0.95]), perceiving caregiving as a source of stress (OR = 0.37, 95% CI [0.19–0.72]), and higher multifaceted strain (OR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.81–0.94]) were also associated with lower odds of excellent well-being. Conclusions Caregiver-reported unmet needs and burden-related indicators were associated with excellent caregiver well-being. Systematic caregiver assessments may help identify both support gaps and subjective strain, informing targeted support for informal caregivers.

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Publication details

Year
2026

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